North Dakota and Minnesota safety officials advise residents against trying to "beat" trains
May 10—GRAND FORKS — Though it's rare for pedestrians and drivers to be fatally struck by trains in North Dakota and Minnesota, safety officials are observing patterns in what's causing the deadly crashes.
"Driver or pedestrian inattentiveness is one of the top causes," said Julie Whitcher, state rail safety engineer at the Minnesota Department of Transportation. "And then the driver trying to go around the gates, or cross when a train is coming and not having enough time."
In 2023, there were three train crashes on Minnesota public grade crossings that resulted in the death of at least one pedestrian or vehicle occupant, she said. There were two fatal crashes in 2022, and two in 2021.
North Dakota's 2023 data is not yet available. There were a total of three fatal crashes from 2019 to 2022, Sgt. Jenna Clawson Huibregtse of the North Dakota Highway Patrol said.
Clawson Huibregtse said train crashes almost always involve an external force such as a pedestrian or vehicle and, usually, the crashes occur when someone tries to "beat" the train.
"We always say, 'when you see tracks, think train,'" she said. "People think that they have more time than they do. Trains are moving pretty quickly."
On average, trains in North Dakota travel at 55 mph, which "comes quicker than you think," Clawson Huibregtse said. It takes approximately one mile for them to stop.
If a vehicle gets stuck on railroad tracks for any reason, occupants are advised against attempting to push the vehicle off the tracks, regardless of whether a train is currently in sight.
They should instead exit the vehicle, run in the opposite direction and call 911, Clawson Huibregtse said.
If there is no immediate danger, vehicle occupants can look for a small blue and white sign that should have a phone number for the appropriate dispatch center, as well as identifying information about the crossing itself.
"(If) you're disabled on the crossing and you would need to get a hold of a dispatcher, that is the first step you should take — if nobody is injured," Whitcher said. "Get a hold of the train dispatch and let them know that there's an incident on the crossing, so that they can slow or stop the trains ahead of time."
The signs are part of a national system, and should be at every public grade crossing, she said.
"I like to point that out to anybody that will listen," Whitcher said. "It's an important safety feature; it's called 'Emergency Notification System.'"
The dispatch number can also be called if someone observes a problem at the crossing, like a malfunctioning arm.
All calls are logged and the information is utilized in generating statistics. The data is used by Whitcher's team to assess what level of warning is necessary for specific Minnesota grade crossings.
Public input also plays a role, though more directly in North Dakota, she said.
Clawson Huibregtse advises North Dakota residents to share their concerns about any local crossings — whether that's a lack of signage, lights or arms — with public officials.
"Sometimes it's just the fact that they don't realize, or nobody spoke up about it before," she said. "Then it's a change that, fiscally, is not that big, and can save lives."
