Ruble frontier: for violations at railway crossings, they propose to fine cameras
The Ministry of Transport has proposed amendments to the legislation so that video monitoring systems can be officially applied on railway tracks and crossings to detect violations by pedestrians and drivers. Izvestia investigated how such a system would affect the level of safety at railway crossings and whether it would reduce the number of violations.
Quick response
A mechanism involving the automatic recording of violations when people cross railway tracks outside permitted areas using equipment for photography, film and video is currently being discussed with responsible departments and government agencies, the press service of the Ministry of Transport told Izvestia. There is no final decision on its implementation yet.
"Proposals are being collected. The measure is primarily aimed at ensuring the safety of life and health of persons crossing railway tracks," the ministry said.
The problem of railroad crossings in the wrong places remains acute and leads to a large number of tragic cases, Inna Litvinenko, associate professor of Economics and Management at the Russian State University of Social Technologies, told Izvestia. Despite understanding the illegality of such actions, people continue to take risks. Therefore, the initiative of the Ministry of Transport is considered timely and necessary.
"This problem is widespread throughout Russia, especially in areas where the railway runs near settlements and resorts," she said. — In some places, the owners of hotels and recreation areas themselves illegally create passages through the paths so that their guests can get to the beach faster. Such actions must be strictly suppressed in order to prevent dangerous situations for railway transport and avoid tragic accidents that occur in front of children.
The initiative of the Ministry of Transport to introduce systems capable of automatically detecting violations and identifying people at railway crossings using biometric data looks like a natural development of modern approaches to security, Lali Chebukhanova, associate professor at the Law Research Center at the Law Institute, Deputy Dean for Academic Affairs at the Faculty of Artificial Intelligence at the RUDN University, told Izvestia. The mechanism of automatic prosecution enhances the protection of citizens, as it makes punishment for such offenses virtually inevitable.
— A number of studies from foreign countries have found that the introduction of a visual control system at railway crossings has led to a 36 percent reduction in violations of the rules, even without the actual application of fines. This happens because drivers and pedestrians change their behavior under the influence of awareness of constant monitoring," the expert noted.
Automatic control systems, she said, reach maximum efficiency within six months, after which violations remain at a consistently low level. This indicates the long-term effect of changing behavior.
— Given the scale of the problem, a realistic reduction in violations can be about 30%, provided the system is fully implemented, especially at the most dangerous crossings, and preventive work with the public. This means potentially saving hundreds of lives every year," said Lali Chebukhanova.
Alternative strategies for ensuring safety at railway crossings are based on an integrated combination of infrastructure solutions, educational work with the public and the use of advanced technologies, she stressed. Modern transitions with active signals and intelligent sensors significantly reduce the likelihood of accidents.
At the same time, educational campaigns and information programs contribute to a sustainable change in the behavior of road users. Artificial intelligence technologies enhance this complex by analyzing real-time data to predict and prevent dangerous situations, which allows you to flexibly adjust security measures and increase the efficiency of the entire system.
"For example, biometric cameras are a relatively cost—effective solution, but to achieve maximum effect, you will need not only cameras, but also information campaigns, integration with AI systems, and possibly upgrading the most dangerous crossings. And this is already quite a significant investment," the expert believes. — However, such an integrated approach will make it possible to achieve a significant reduction in tragedies at railway crossings, which is more valuable.
Fight against violators
The issue of ensuring safety at railway crossings and crossings is becoming especially important in the current conditions, an expert from the Popular Front told Izvestia.Analytics" by Tatiana Mironova. With the growth of domestic tourism, including road trips, and an increase in the number of train trips, the infrastructure of settlements is actively developing, and residents need to safely get to shops and social facilities.
However, the desire to save a few minutes leads to dangerous actions: people ignore the forbidding signals at railway crossings or cross the tracks in the wrong places. The main causes of accidents remain inattentiveness and irresponsible behavior. Young people wearing headphones often do not hear the sound signals of the crossing and the approaching train, which significantly increases the risk of accidents.
— On April 18, 2025, Federal Law No. 70-FZ of April 7, 2025 entered into force, which establishes a fine for citizens in the amount of 500 rubles for crossing railway tracks at a pedestrian crossing or railway crossing at a forbidding traffic light signal, — the expert recalled. — Previously, the fine applied only to crossing railway tracks in unidentified locations.
In Moscow, the Moscow region, St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region, the fine for crossing railway tracks in the wrong places is higher and amounts to 1,500 rubles. Increasing fines and increasing responsibility for such violations is important because they threaten not only the life of the violator, but also the passengers of trains, she noted. It is also necessary to reduce the number of unregulated crossings — those where there are no barriers, traffic lights or attendants.
Every year, the President's direct line receives appeals on safety issues at railway crossings, including complaints about the lack of sidewalks and insufficiently equipped crossings. It is important for pedestrians to take maximum security measures: install special decking, sidewalks, light and sound alarms, barriers, and, where possible, build aboveground or underground passages.
It is equally important, according to her, to regularly inform citizens about the rules of behavior on the railway. Information should be posted at stations and in wagons, accompanied by audio and video warnings, and warnings about safe passage should be broadcast upon arrival of trains. Special attention should be paid to children, teaching them the rules of the road and safe behavior on the railway.
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