Weekends are a time when many people travel, gather, go on outings,\nand engage in activities around their neighbourhoods. During such\nmoments, PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) is urging the public to\nmaintain collective safety by being disciplined when crossing level\ncrossings and by not playing, taking selfies, sitting, fishing, vending,\nor conducting any activities along railway lines.<\/p>\n
Vice President of Corporate Communication at KAI, Anne Purba, stated\nthat the safety of train journeys depends heavily on the discipline of\nall parties. Trains operate on dedicated tracks and cannot stop suddenly\nlike road vehicles.<\/p>\n
\u201cWaiting a few minutes at a crossing is far safer than taking the\nrisk of trespassing. We invite the public, especially this weekend, to\nstop, look right and left, ensure it is safe, and give priority to\ntrains. Railway tracks are also not a place for playing or gathering.\nOne step into a restricted area can endanger oneself, passengers, and\nrailway staff,\u201d Anne said.<\/p>\n
KAI recorded 128 accidents at level crossings up to 14 June 2026,\nresulting in 105 casualties, comprising 44 fatalities, 27 serious\ninjuries, and 34 minor injuries. In terms of causes, 113 incidents, or\n88 per cent, were due to vehicles trespassing; 9 incidents, or 7 per\ncent, were caused by vehicles stalling; and 6 incidents, or 5 per cent,\nwere related to late or unclosed crossing barriers. The vehicles\ninvolved included 74 motorcycles, or 58 per cent, and 54 cars, or 42 per\ncent. By type of crossing, 59 incidents, or 46 per cent, occurred at\nguarded crossings and 69 incidents, or 54 per cent, at unguarded\ncrossings.<\/p>\n
Beyond crossing accidents, KAI also recorded 252 trespassing\nincidents on railway tracks outside of crossings up to 14 June 2026. Of\nthese, 235 incidents, or 93 per cent, involved people, while 17\nincidents, or 7 per cent, involved vehicles. Among the incidents\ninvolving people, 183 fatalities, 44 serious injuries, and 19 minor\ninjuries were recorded. This data serves as a reminder that being on\nrailway track areas without authorisation is an extremely dangerous\nact.<\/p>\n
Anne emphasised that safety regulations at crossings are stipulated\nin Law Number 22 of 2009 on Road Traffic and Transport, Article 114. At\nlevel crossings between railway tracks and roads, drivers are required\nto stop when signals sound, barriers begin to close, or other warnings\nare given; to give priority to trains; and to grant the right of way to\nvehicles that arrived first. Violations of these obligations are\nregulated under Article 296.<\/p>\n
Regarding activities on railway tracks, Law Number 23 of 2007 on\nRailways, Article 181 paragraph (1), prohibits any person from being\nwithin the railway track utility zone, placing or moving objects on the\nrails, crossing railway tracks without authorisation, or using railway\ntracks for other purposes. The criminal provisions are set out in\nArticle 199, with adjustments following the latest applicable provisions\nin Law Number 1 of 2026 on Criminal Adjustments.<\/p>\n
In terms of crossing management, KAI records a total of 3,674 level\ncrossings. The breakdown includes 2,771 registered crossings and 903\nunregistered and unguarded crossings. Of the registered crossings, 1,864\npoints are guarded and 907 points are registered but unguarded.\nConsequently, there are 1,810 unguarded level crossings that are the\nfocus of management, consisting of 907 registered but unguarded points\nand 903 unregistered and unguarded points.<\/p>\n
KAI, together with Danantara, BP BUMN, the Directorate General of\nRailways of the Ministry of Transportation, and the National\nTransportation Safety Committee (KNKT), has also coordinated the\nhandling of level crossings. For the priority closure programme, of the\n172 designated level crossings, 150 points have been closed as of 18\nJune 2026, reaching 87 per cent. There remain 22 points whose resolution\nis being continuously coordinated with relevant stakeholders.<\/p>\n
The details of the closure realisation for the 150 points include:\nOperational Area 1 Jakarta, 20 out of 31 points; Operational Area 2\nBandung, 1 out of 1 point; Operational Area 3 Cirebon, 1 out of 1 point;\nOperational Area 4 Semarang, 11 out of 11 points; Operational Area 5\nPurwokerto, 6 out of 6 points; Operational Area 6 Yogyakarta, 2 out of 2\npoints; Operational Area 7 Madiun, 1 out of 1 point; Operational Area 8\nSurabaya, 4 points from a target of 2 points; Operational Area 9 Jember,\n7 out of 7 points; Regional Division I North Sumatra, 39 out of 39\npoints; Regional Division II West Sumatra, 26 out of 35 points; Regional\nDivision III Palembang, 6 out of 6 points; and Regional Division IV\nTanjungkarang, 26 out of 30 points.<\/p>\n
In addition to closures, KAI has also prepared a safety improvement\nprogramme for crossings that still require upgrading. From an initial\nquota of 1,638 level crossings, 1,404 have been verified as targets for\nsafety enhancement. Based on the verification recap, the distribution of\nroad widths consists of 732 crossings with a width of less than 4\nmetres, 589 crossings with a width of 4 to 6 metres, and 83 crossings\nwith a width of more than 6 metres.<\/p>\n
From the 1,404 verified points, KAI has designated 190 priority\npoints to be commenced in 2026 through the provision of guard posts\nwithout barriers, communication tools, and watchmen. The remaining 1,214\npoints will be handled in stages during the 2027 to 2030 period, taking\ninto account priority scales, field conditions, and coordination with\nRailway Engineering Centres (BTP) and local transportation agencies.<\/p>\n
Today, KAI together with communities in the Operational Area 2\nBandung region conducted a socialisation campaign on level crossing\nsafety and disciplined activity around railway tracks. The activity\ninvolved 30 participants from various communities, including railfans,\nthrough safety education sessions and a Safety Hunting Photo & Video\nactivity directed to ensure that train documentation is carried out from\nsafe locations and in accordance with regulations.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe appreciate the railfan communities who have been helping to\nconvey safety messages. We currently foster 56 communities,\u201d Anne\nadded.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/safe-weekend-on-railway-lines-kai-urges-driver-discipline-at-crossings-and-residents-to-stay-away-from-tracks-1781945555", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }