Metra, the operator of the Northeast Illinois commuter rail system, is alerting drivers that starting January 1, 2017, penalties will double for those who try to cross railroad tracks after the grade crossing systems have activated.
Last year, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner signed into law an increase in fines starting January 1, 2017, for drivers who disregard activated railroad gates and warning lights from $250 to $500 for a first offense and from $500 to $1,000 for a second or subsequent offense.
The legislation was initiated by Metra as part of a larger initiative to help promote rail safety awareness at highway-rail grade crossings.
“The message is simple: when the gates are activated, stay off the tracks or you will pay the price through these increased fines or worse,” said Don Orseno, Metra’s executive director and CEO. “In addition to the tragic injuries or loss of life that can result when a vehicle is struck by a train, collisions at railroad crossings can impact thousands of Metra customers, who can be delayed for hours waiting for first responders to clear the accident scene, and delay other motorists who are forced to find alternate routes. Also, let’s not forget the trauma experienced by locomotive engineers and conductors when these incidents occur and work together to prevent accidents and injuries along the railroad.”
Illinois now has some of the strictest penalties in the nation for these types of vehicular offenses. The state ranked second in the nation in 2015 for rail crossing fatalities. According to Illinois Operation Lifesaver, nearly 75 to 80 percent of vehicle/train collisions occur at crossings with active warning devices, including lights, gates and bells.
Illinois has the second-largest rail system of any state with more than 7,300 miles of railroad track and 10,363 public highway-rail crossings.
Metra conducts Operation Lifesaver Safety Blitzes at train stations across its service area throughout the year as part of ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the importance of safe behavior around its trains and tracks. In 2016, 45 safety blitzes were conducted.