Which direction do you run if your vehicle is stuck on railroad tracks?

But some experts say there is a particular direction you should try to run: Away from the tracks at a 45 degree angle, in the direction from which the train is coming. “That actually means run toward the train,” said Joyce Rose, president of Operation Lifesaver, a nonprofit rail safety education group.



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When running away from a vehicle stuck on tracks, run away from the tracks at an angle in the direction of the approaching train. If a train is not approaching when a vehicle is stuck on the tracks, be sure to get yourself and all other passengers out of the vehicle and to a safe location.

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In most cases, a rail crossing failure results in the gates being down with no train in sight. Gates failing in the down position is actually a safety design. Other types of crossing issues, such as the failure of a gate to activate for a train, are rare but should definitely be reported to 911 immediately.

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If your car stalls on a track, quickly get everyone out — even if you don't see a train coming. Run away from the tracks and your car to avoid being hit by flying debris. Call the number on the blue emergency notification system sign. If the sign is not visible to you, call 911.

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It is illegal to go around the gates. Warns of an approaching train and used to close the road when a train approaches. It is only legal to drive around lowered gates if the crossing is flagged by a law officer or railroad employee.

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Semi trucks have a higher chance of stalling in general. There are not many manual cars anymore, but there are still a decent amount of manual trucks. And bigger engines=bigger transmissions=bigger chances of stalling. When you get to a railroad crossing, you usually slow down instinctively, even in a car.

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