Richard Schwartz and Associates of Mississippi is in the business of making Mississippi a better place to live. In recent years there have been several incidents of people dying because they tried to race through a railroad crossing and got hit by a train. This is a very serious kind of car accident, and one that is completely preventable. The personal injury lawyers at Richard Schwartz and Associates believe that education is the key to preventing car wrecks, especially ones involving a train.

According to Operation Lifesaver a train hits someone in America every 115 minutes. That’s a horrible statistic that could be prevented. It’s true that many rural roadway crossings do not have any indicators or safety mechanisms in place to alert drivers about oncoming trains. Mississippi railroad crossings in rural settings typically have no indicators at all. So, how does someone prevent a serious car wreck at a railroad crossing? Here are five steps from the personal injury lawyers at Richard Schwartz and Associates P.A. of Mississippi.

• Watch for railroad signs. Sometimes when you’re approaching a railroad crossing, the signs are hard to read and hidden away behind trees. Look carefully on the road for these signs and be diligent. Paying attention is crucial to driving safely.
  
  
• Stop at the railroad crossing. Even if you don’t think there’s a train coming, making a complete stop at railroad crossings could potentially save your life. Not all trains are loud, and even if you think there’s not a train approaching, you never know until you double check.
  
  
• Wait five seconds, and look in both directions. Looking in both directions down the railroad tracks is a safe, easy way to make sure you’re not driving in front of an oncoming train.
  
  
• Go slowly through the crossing. Driving slowly and cautiously through the crossing is beneficial for multiple reasons, the undercarriage of your car won’t be damaged and you will be absolutely sure that no trains are oncoming.
  
  
• If you see a train approaching, STOP. This is the most important step of all. Trains traveling at 50 miles per hour will take one mile to come to a complete stop. By the time you see a train approaching, they are too close to stop. Don’t take the risk, and simply wait for the train to pass before crossing the railroad.

At Richard Schwartz and Associates of Jackson, Mississippi we advocate safety while driving. We are striving to help make Mississippi a better place to live, and a safer place to drive. Please be vigilant drivers and strive to help others improve their driving skills. Together we can spread the word and make Mississippi a better place for all drivers.