Crashes at North Carolina Rail Crossings Down 42% in 2016

A North Carolina rail safety group says collisions at highway crossings dropped by 42 percent in 2016.

The report from North Carolina Operation Lifesaver says there were 39 collisions last year, compared with 67 in 2015.

Also, the report says fatalities at North Carolina crossings fell to five last year, down from eight in 2015. However, there have already been five deaths from rail-highway crossing collisions in North Carolina in 2017.

North Carolina Operation Lifesaver Executive Director Margaret Cannell also said there were 23 deaths from track trespassing in 2016, compared to 15 the previous year. Track trespassing involves people walking on railroad tracks without permission or authorization.