Accidents at level crossings have been decreasing, further investments and awareness campaigns will 10/2/2025|Press releasesSpráva železnic will secure another 130 level crossings this year, the costs should reach CZK 1.6 billion. Thanks to the continuous increase in safety at level crossings, the number of accidents has been reduced, with the lowest number of accidents in 5 years in 2024. A new campaign warning drivers against risky behaviour should also contribute to this positive trend. Almost 1 500 level crossings have been upgraded since 2015, with another 150 crossings added last year alone. For this year, Správa železnic has planned upgrades in 128 locations at a cost of CZK 1.6 billion. The work will be mostly carried out at crossings with category III roads: at 42 crossings in total. For 20 of them, traffic lights with barriers will be added to the warning crosses. On corridor lines Správa železnic replaces level crossings with overpasses or underpasses. In Holická Street in Olomouc, drivers started to use the new overpass completed last year. Construction of a road underpass in Studénka will begin this spring. The new underpass will replace the current busy four-track crossing. Investment in level crossing safety has a positive impact on the number of accidents. Last year, there were 133 collisions between road and rail vehicles, the lowest number in five years. This also applies to the number of people killed – there were 26 fatalities. The cancellation of 58 level crossing last year was an important contribution to the increase of railway and road traffic. Since 2021, a total of 273 level crossings on the Czech railway network were eliminated. The “We will miss you” campaign targets drivers and schools From 10 February, Czech TV watchers and passengers at railway stations across the country will see spots warning against risky behaviour at level crossings. This appeal builds on a previous successful campaign, using the strong visual element of an empty chair again. This time, however, the message is even more emotional: the campaign works with the motif of a tombstone and the number 204. This symbolises the number of people who never returned home as a result of their gambling with their life along the rail line. The budesnamchybet.cz website (“we will miss you”) offers not only spots from this campaign and previous safety campaigns, but also a range of teaching materials that teachers can use in their classes. "Recently, we have succeeded in bringing down the number of fatalities and accidents at level crossings. I am convinced that, in addition to all these investments in safety, the education we have been doing for several years has also helped. We even received several awards for the previous year's “We will miss you” campaign," recalls Jiří Svoboda, Director General of Správa železnic. Under the auspices of the Ministry of Transport, Správa železnic is cooperating with České dráhy and the Railway Authority on this campaign. The main media partner is Czech Television.