HOLMES COUNTY, Miss.- The driver of a logging truck was killed after a collision with an Amtrak train in Holmes County.
Authorities said that the crash happened between Cruger and Greenwood sometime around 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
The driver of the truck did not survive and has not yet been identified. The investigation is ongoing.
When News Mississippi reached out to the Holmes County Sheriff’s Department for further comment, they have declined at this time.
In light of these events, there are a few safety tips to remember when around the trains. Unfortunately highway rail crossings incidents are not uncommon. Nationally there were 2,068 Highway Rail Incidents in 2015 according to the FRA Safety Data. As of July 31st this year there have been 1,122.
“The most important safety tip is to ALWAYS EXPECT A TRAIN. Be aware, look for the advance warning sign to let you know that you are close to a crossing. Listen for the train horn and look both ways when approaching the crossing. And never try to beat a train through a crossing. Anytime you See Tracks, Think Train,” said Kimber Sloan, Director of Mississippi Operation Lifesaver.
If you’re a driver Sloan said these are some very important things to consider if driving around a train:
DRIVING SAFETY TIPS
- f you tie, you lose.
The train you see is closer and faster-moving than you think. If you see a train approaching, wait for it to go by before you proceed across the tracks. - Be aware that trains cannot stop quickly. Even if the locomotive engineer sees you, a freight train moving at 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop once the emergency brakes are applied. That’s 18 football fields!
- Never drive around lowered gates — it’s illegal and deadly. If you suspect a signal is malfunctioning, call the emergency number posted on or near the crossing signal or your local law enforcement agency.
- Do not get trapped on the tracks; proceed through a highway-rail grade crossing only if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping. Remember, the train is three feet wider than the tracks on both sides.
- If your vehicle ever stalls on a track with a train coming, get out immediately and move quickly away from the tracks in the direction from which the train is coming. If you run in the same direction the train is traveling, when the train hits your car you could be injured by flying debris. Call your local law enforcement agency for assistance.
- At a multiple track crossing waiting for a train to pass, watch out for a second train on the other tracks, approaching from either direction.
- When you need to cross train tracks, go to a designated crossing, look both ways, and cross the tracks quickly, without stopping. Remember it isn’t safe to stop closer than 15 feet from a rail.
- ALWAYS EXPECT A TRAIN! Freight trains do not follow set schedules.
