Three fatal accidents in the past few days have highlighted the safety of level crossings.

A tractor driver died near Korbach in northern Hesse on Monday after colliding with a train while trying to cross an unrestricted level crossing.

The day before, a train hit a pedestrian at an unrestricted level crossing in Bürstadt in southern Hesse, fatally injuring him.

Just hours later, a visually impaired man and his assistance dog died at a level crossing with a half barrier in Kriftel in the Main-Taunus district.

It is not the first fatal accident at the Krifteler level crossing.

A boy was caught and killed there in March, and a cyclist had a fatal accident ten years ago.

The municipality sharply criticizes Deutsche Bahn and accuses it of inactivity.

After the accident ten years ago, all efforts to obtain more safety through a full barrier or an acoustic warning system when the barrier was down had been in vain.

The railways said the transition was state-of-the-art.

The company has now announced repeated talks.

A special traffic show is expected to be held in May to find out whether the signage and technology are still sufficient or whether they need to be adjusted.

Every fourth accident at a level crossing is fatal

According to the Koblenz Federal Police Headquarters, which is responsible for Hesse, among other things, 73 accidents occurred at level crossings throughout Hesse from the beginning of 2020 to February 21, 2022, 40 of them at level crossings with half barriers, 24 at level crossings with full barriers, five at level crossings without traffic lights and four at crossings with traffic lights.

No focal points could be identified locally.

According to a federal police spokesman, every fourth accident at a level crossing is fatal.

"Whereas a car comes to a standstill after a few meters even at high speed, a train at full speed needs up to 1000 meters to stop." Because of its high speed and low-noise driving style, a train is there faster than you can react.

The spokesman warned that those who disregard danger signs, (flashing) lights or barriers are risking their lives and carelessly endangering others.

If traffic rules were followed and crossings were crossed with due care, most accidents could be avoided.

According to the information, there are 1022 level crossings throughout Hesse.

Those who come into contact with road and passenger traffic are usually technically equipped to be as safe as possible.

According to Deutsche Bahn, regular traffic inspections are held to check signage and technology.

After accidents, there are special traffic inspections.

The traffic situation was also critically assessed

However, clashes keep happening.

There were also three major accidents at a level crossing in Großer-Buseck in central Hesse, most recently in May 2018. A train crashed into a truck, three people were seriously injured and 17 were slightly injured.

An investigation report blamed the truck driver, who drove onto the tracks despite traffic jams.

The traffic situation was also assessed critically: there is a lot of delivery traffic, and there is also a stop and turning point for buses behind the barriers.

Both could favor tailbacks up to the level crossing.

According to a railway spokeswoman, the transition will be extensively renewed, and planning is underway.

A date for commissioning has not yet been set.

Initially, the trains run at reduced speed in the area of ​​the level crossing.

The railway has been investing in the security of the crossings nationwide for years, said the spokeswoman.

For example, their number will be reduced by building new bridges.

This is also currently happening in the Frankfurt district of Nied - after a serious accident with one fatality and two seriously injured almost two years ago.

The barriers, which were operated from a keeper's hut, stood open, although a train was approaching - according to a report by the Federal Bureau for Railway Accident Investigation, a mistake by the keeper.

The barrier is now automatically controlled according to the railway information, and there is a visual inspection by the employees on site.

According to Bahn, there is now a clearer separation of the pedestrian path and separate pedestrian barriers.

The construction of an underpass, which has been requested in Nied for years, is to follow.