KAI Closes 144 Priority Crossings, Stresses Shared Responsibility for Railway Safety
PT Kereta Api Indonesia (Persero) is accelerating the closure of dangerous level crossings, having shut 144 out of 172 priority points, as it emphasises that safety is a shared responsibility. According to KAI data up to 14 June 2026, there have been 128 accidents at level crossings, with 88% caused by vehicles forcing their way through. These incidents resulted in 105 casualties: 44 fatalities, 27 serious injuries, and 34 minor injuries.
Vice President Corporate Communication KAI, Anne Purba, stated that handling level crossings requires a risk-based logic. A single hazardous access point left open can form a habit of crossing, leading to repeated accidents. “Safety at crossings is a collective duty. KAI safeguards train operations, the government has authority over roads, law enforcement assists with discipline, and the public determines safety through compliance when crossing,” Anne said.
The data reveals that 58% of the 128 incidents involved motorcycles, while 42% involved cars. Furthermore, 69 accidents occurred at unguarded crossings and 59 at guarded ones, indicating that points without barriers need urgent attention while locations with gates still require road user discipline. Despite the figures, the total number of casualties in 2026 has decreased by approximately 25% compared to 2025, from 140 to 105 victims.
Regulatory frameworks, including Law No. 23 of 2007 on Railways and Minister of Transportation Regulation No. 36 of 2018, mandate that level crossings ideally be grade-separated. If they remain at grade, they must meet safety standards with gates, signs, signals, and officers. Unauthorised crossings must be closed by the relevant government authority, with responsibility for safety devices falling to the level of government that manages the road.
“The closure of hazardous crossings must be understood as an effort to protect lives. KAI understands the public needs access, but safe access must be the priority. Dangerous points need to be reorganised so residents are directed to safer routes,” Anne explained. Beyond the priority programme, KAI has also closed or narrowed 201 crossings across various regions, exceeding the 177-point target.
To strengthen oversight, KAI has conducted drone patrols totalling 1,287 patrol days, 2,562 sorties, and 43,069 minutes of monitoring as of 15 June 2026. The company has also carried out 1,606 safety education activities at crossings, schools, and communities. Anne urged local governments to accelerate evaluations of level crossings, close illegal access points, and prepare safe traffic engineering, while calling on the public to always stop, look right and left, and use only official, regulated crossings.