SAN JUAN DEL RÍO, QRO.– In Mexico, level crossings are where trains and trucks meet, and this coexistence poses one of the greatest challenges in terms of road safety and logistics operations.
During the 9th National Road Safety Congress of the National Association of Private Transportation (ANTP) , specialists agreed that this relationship requires road safety culture, adequate infrastructure, and public policies that reduce risks.
The data is overwhelming: rail accidents have increased in recent years, rising from 608 incidents in 2020 to 800 in 2024.
For Vianey de la Mora, general director of the Mexican Railway Association (AMF) , the problem is linked to the growth of cities and a lack of public awareness.
“A train takes the equivalent of 20 football stadiums to stop. We can’t normalize accidents: two accidents a day are unacceptable,” he said.
With a practical exercise, the director demonstrated how a car, a truck, and a train require radically different distances to stop. Her message was forceful: respecting the distance and signaling is not an option; it’s the only way to save lives.
He also warned about the increasing number of illegal crossings in the country (between two and three thousand unauthorized crossings), which increases the risks.
From operational experience, Saúl Romero Blake , founder of Harvest Partners , recalled that within many industrial plants there are also railroad crossings without clear rules.
“It’s not just about moving cargo, but about designing safe infrastructure. In the terminals we operate, we’ve achieved more than 1,000 incident-free days, but with hybrid regulations and ongoing training,” Romero said.
The call was to recognize that rail and trucking are not rivals, but allies. Trains are designed for large volumes and long distances; trucks, for the first and last mile. The focus, they agreed, should be on intermodal models that combine both modes to reduce costs, emissions, and, above all, accidents.
At this meeting, the shared reflection was: no vehicle can beat the train. Safety begins at level crossings, with road safety education, and with the joint responsibility of authorities, concessionaires, and transporters.
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