Last Tuesday, a dangerous incident occurred at the railway crossing on Spokojna Street in Polkowice. – Police findings indicate that the driver of a Škoda passenger car, a 76-year-old resident of Polkowice, failed to exercise particular caution, did not notice the red light warning of an approaching rail vehicle, and ultimately failed to yield the right of way, driving directly into the path of the approaching locomotive – explains Assistant Commissioner Przemysław Rybikowski, press officer for the Polkowice KPP.
Fortunately, the vehicle’s driver was not seriously injured. The 71-year-old woman from Polkowice who was traveling in the back seat is in more serious condition. A test for alcohol content in the body showed that both the train driver and the passenger-car driver were sober.
We wrote more about the incident in the article Škoda Collided with a Train! One Person Taken to Hospital.
Officers:
We appeal for common sense, especially at unguarded railway crossings.
And they add:
- When approaching a railway crossing, slow down and use your eyes and ears to make sure that no train is approaching along the tracks.
- At crossings with multiple tracks, never drive onto the tracks immediately after a train has passed; instead, wait until it has moved far enough away for you to determine whether other trains are traveling on the other tracks.
- At railway crossings, take particular care in conditions of limited visibility (fog, snowstorms, nighttime).
- When approaching a crossing, travel at a speed that will allow you to stop the vehicle before the railway tracks if necessary.
- If a vertical “Stop” sign (B-20) is displayed before the railway crossing, you must stop the vehicle and then make sure that no train is approaching.