Police remind public to obey rules at railway crossings even without officers present

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Director of Law Enforcement at the National Police Traffic Corps, Brigadier General Faizal, has reminded the public to comply with traffic regulations when crossing railway tracks, even in the absence of officers.

He assessed that the public is currently aware of the risks involved in crossing railway tracks but often fails to obey the rules. Many people, he said, attempt to cross the tracks even when the crossing gates are closed.

“There is no need for officers or police to be present. Even without a police officer, compliance is essential because it concerns our own interests and personal safety,” Faizal stated during a discussion event on the Bekasi Timur train accident held at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Thursday.

Sometimes, he noted, road users even accelerate their vehicles in the moments before the railway crossing gates close, creating significant hazards.

“Even on the tracks, we see cases where the gates are closed, but people lift them up and then pass through,” he added.

To minimise train-vehicle accidents, he believes that modern railway systems or crossing gates alone are not sufficient without accompanying public awareness. Therefore, he said, road users must continue to be educated to prevent accidents.

Moreover, he pointed out that collisions between vehicles and trains frequently result in immediate fatalities, rather than minor or severe injuries.

Based on studies, he noted, the safest modes of transportation are trains and aeroplanes. Thus, he hopes that recent train accidents in the Bekasi Timur station area in West Java will not recur.

“This serves as a collective lesson that incidents related to railway tracks at level crossings, whether gated or ungated, are quite numerous,” he said.