The plan established a national goal of reducing crossing accidents and fatalities by 50 percent from 1994 to 2004. This report (1) analyzes the progress made at reducing accidents and fatalities at crossings; (2) discusses federal and state strategies—funds distribution, technologies, and education—that have the potential for reducing railroad crossing accidents and fatalities; and (3) assesses DOT’s progress in implementing its action plan for improving railroad crossing safety. Railroad Crossing Accidents and Fatalities Have Declined Significantly, But Problems Still Persist

Since 1974, when the Rail-Highway Crossing Program began, the number of accidents and fatalities at public railroad crossings has declined by 61 and 34 percent, respectively. However, a significant portion of the progress made in reducing crossing accidents and fatalities was realized during the first 10 years of the program. However, since 1985, progress in reducing crossing deaths has been limited. Strategies DOT and the states are using that have the potential to improve safety include targeting federal funds to states with the highest incidence of accidents and fatalities; closing more railroad crossings; installing advanced technologies at the most dangerous intersections; concentrating crossing improvements and closings on specific rail corridors; and improving public education and law enforcement to change motorists’ dangerous behavior. In addition, DOT has not developed an evaluation approach to assess the impact of the plan in contributing to railroad crossing safety. The action plan contains 55 action proposals for improving railroad crossing safety. The success of federal efforts to ensure the accuracy of the DOT/AAR National Highway-Rail Crossing Inventory also depends on the states’ cooperation.
Why GAO Did This Study

Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO examined federal efforts to improve railroad crossing safety, focusing on: (1) the progress made in reducing railroad crossing accidents and fatalities; (2) federal and state strategies that have the potential for reducing railroad crossing accidents and fatalities; and (3) the Department of Transportation's (DOT) progress in implementing its action plan for improving railroad crossing safety.

What GAO Found

GAO found that: (1) the annual number of accidents and fatalities at public railroad crossings has declined by 61 and 34 percent, respectively, since the Rail-Highway Crossing Program began in 1974; (2) progress in increasing railroad crossing safety has been limited, since states improved the most dangerous crossings during the first 10 years of the program; (3) DOT is developing new ways to distribute funds to those states with the most dangerous crossings and encourage improvements along specific rail corridors; (4) the states are working to close more crossings and strengthen public education and law enforcement efforts to change motorists' dangerous behavior; (5) DOT has set a national goal of reducing railroad crossing accidents and fatalities by 50 percent from 1994 to 2004; and (6) the success of the DOT action plan depends on states' and railroads' cooperation in implementing 55 separate proposals, adequate financing, and the development of an evaluation component to assess the effect of the actions taken.