SAFE TRACKS Act Mandates States Consult Mental Health Agencies to Reduce Rail Pedestrian Fatalities

The new SAFE TRACKS Act (State Actions For Employing Transportation Risk Assessments and Crossing Knowledge Strategies Act) is zeroing in on a serious, often overlooked safety issue: pedestrian deaths along train tracks. This legislation doesn’t just tweak existing rules; it mandates a significant shift in how states plan for rail safety, specifically targeting incidents involving people on or near the tracks.

The New Safety Homework: Beyond the Crossing Gates

Currently, states already file reports on highway-rail grade crossing safety. This bill, however, amends Section 20167 of title 49, U.S. Code, requiring states to add a crucial new component to those existing safety plans. They must now detail exactly how they plan to work with railroads and other key groups to lower the number of people killed by trains, including those resulting from suicide, along the entire rail corridor.

Think of it this way: if your state previously just checked to make sure the crossing lights worked, they now have to develop a comprehensive strategy for the whole track line running through town. This means addressing areas where people might trespass or where tracks run close to neighborhoods or parks, forcing state transportation agencies to broaden their focus beyond just the car-rail intersection.

Bringing Mental Health and Law Enforcement to the Table

One of the most significant changes is who the states must consult when drafting these updated plans. It’s no longer enough to just talk to the railroads. The SAFE TRACKS Act requires states to also consult with mental health agencies and law enforcement groups. This is a big deal because it acknowledges that pedestrian fatalities on tracks often involve complex issues like mental health crises or chronic trespassing, which require more than just engineering solutions.

For example, a state might now have to coordinate with local police to identify high-risk areas for trespassing and partner with mental health providers to develop targeted outreach or intervention programs near those rail lines. While this coordination is vital for saving lives, it does place a new administrative burden on state governments and requires railroads to dedicate more resources to these multi-agency planning efforts.

Putting Safety on a Five-Year Schedule

To ensure these plans don't just sit on a shelf, the bill updates the reporting frequency. States must now submit these detailed, updated safety plans to the Administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) every five years. This five-year cycle ensures that strategies are regularly reviewed, updated, and kept relevant, forcing continuous attention on these critical safety issues. For the FRA, this means a steady stream of data and strategies focused on prevention, which is a win for public safety. For the state agencies, it means a new, mandated deadline they must meet every half-decade, ensuring accountability for their pedestrian safety efforts.