SPRINGFIELD — In an effort to keep students safe, State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton is leading a measure to include railroad safety information in student handbooks.
“Student safety has to be at the forefront of our priorities,” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “Our residents have expressed concern about schools near railroads and ensuring students understand the protocols in place to keep them safe.”
House Bill 3743 would require all K-12 public schools to include railroad safety information in its student handbook. A school may opt out of this requirement if the school board determines that railroad safety is covered in the school's curriculum.
According to the Illinois Commerce Commission, highway-rail crash statistics for 2025 indicate that Illinois had 134 collisions between trains and motor vehicles or pedestrians at highway-rail crossings. Thirty-four people were killed and 27 seriously injured. Illinois has 7,300 miles of track with 7,482 public highway-rail crossings and 3,280 private highway-rail crossings. Nationally this puts Illinois second in both categories, with only Texas having more rail crossings than Illinois.
“This isn’t just about the schools with railroad crossings close by, it’s about making sure all students understand railroad safety,” said Glowiak Hilton. “This is a small, yet proactive, step toward ensuring Illinois students and families not only grasp the importance of railroad safety but also put these procedures into practice.”
House Bill 3743 passed the Senate Education Committee Tuesday.
