SPRINGFIELD — State Senator Suzy Glowiak Hilton passed a measure through the Senate to include railroad safety information in student handbooks.
“Trains move swiftly through cities across Illinois, and while their speed is necessary for transporting goods and people, it can pose a serious risk when students misuse railroads and their crossings” said Glowiak Hilton (D-Western Springs). “Understanding why crossings are designed the way they are and the importance of warning signals can protect students. Sharing information about rail safety encourages informed decisions and helps bring awareness to the entire community.”
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.
Under current law, all public school districts serving students in grades K-8 must adopt a policy on traffic injury prevention education. Driver's Education instruction, which all public high schools must offer, provides instruction on railroad safety.
House Bill 3743 passed the Senate with bipartisan support.
