Raising awareness about train safety a tough job, officials say

An Amtrak train slammed into the minivan, killing Pinnix. Witnesses said they called to get her out of the car, but she froze.

In 2013, North Carolina had 55 collisions at railroad crossings, resulting in 7 deaths. State officials say they have been working for decades to make railroad crossings safer for drivers.

“We've really focused a lot on where we have passenger trains and higher speeds on railroads,” said Paul Worley, Rail Division director for the North Carolina Department of Transportation. “We've done a lot with enhanced devices, additional gates at crossings and medians.”

But safety devices won't protect people who do not pay attention to them.

“It's ultimately up to the driver to follow the law, to adhere to the devices, not to go around the gates,” Worley said.

Robinson said it comes down to one simple rule: “If you see tracks, you should always think a train is likely to be coming along at any minute.”