Yellow stickers bearing the 112 emergency number are located at 11,000 railway-road crossings. February 11 is European 112 Emergency Number Day. Since 2018, PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. has cooperated with the 112 emergency number.
PKP PLK:
112 is a number that can be called free of charge, around the clock, from phones anywhere in the European Union. By calling 112 when help is needed, the caller connects with an operator at the Emergency Notification Centre, who can notify the appropriate emergency services, including the police, fire service, ambulance service and railway authorities.
The company adds:
Yellow stickers are placed at 11,000 active railway-road crossings and pedestrian crossings. The hazard alert system has been operating since mid-2018. Using PLK yellow stickers has prevented many incidents, including situations when a car broke down at a crossing or the tracks were blocked.
Where are the stickers, and what do they contain?
The stickers are located on the barrier mechanisms or on St Andrew’s crosses on the track side. They contain three important numbers:
- the individual identification number of the crossing (the crossing number), which precisely identifies the crossing’s location;
- the 112 emergency number, which should be called when life or health is at risk;
- the number for PLK technical services, which can be used to report irregularities and failures at crossings that do not directly endanger life.
When should you use the 112 emergency number?
The 112 number should be used when life is at risk or an accident may occur—for example, when a car has become immobilised between the barriers, in the event of an incident at a crossing, or when an obstruction on the tracks is noticed. Contacting 112 and the railway workers’ response can prevent tragedies.
Before PKP Polskie Linie Kolejowe S.A. introduced the yellow-sticker system (in mid-2018), more than 18,000 responses to hazards had been registered. In 530 cases, train traffic was halted and help was called. In more than 1,200 situations, train speeds were reduced, ensuring the safety of passengers and people at the crossing.
Drivers should remember that:
- The STOP sign means you must stop before the crossing.
- A red light absolutely prohibits entering the crossing—the flashing signal means that a train will soon appear at the crossing. You may enter the crossing only when the signals are switched off and the barriers are in the vertical position.
- You may enter the crossing only when an exit from the crossing is clear.
- When approaching a crossing, exercise particular caution and make sure that no train is approaching.
Ninety-nine percent of incidents at crossings result from irresponsible behaviour and reckless decisions by road users. The most common mistakes include ignoring the red light, failing to obey the STOP sign, going around closed half-barriers, or driving under lowering barriers.
What should you do in an emergency at a railway-road crossing?
In an emergency, leave the crossing as quickly as possible—breaking through the barrier if necessary. Only a small amount of pressure is needed for the so-called barrier rod fuse (at the barrier mechanism) to activate and safely break the barrier without damaging the car.
The procedure to follow when life and health are at risk is illustrated in a film produced as part of the “Bezpieczny Przejazd” social campaign:
If the car breaks down and it is impossible to drive off the tracks, leave the vehicle as quickly as possible and move beyond the barriers, taking everyone who was travelling in the car with you. Then use the PLK Yellow Sticker by calling 112. An example conversation between a person reporting a crossing incident and the 112 emergency number:
An animation presenting how the PLK Yellow Sticker works:
