INDIANAPOLIS (WOWO) — Hoosiers are being reminded to use extra caution around railroad tracks as Indiana observes Rail Safety Week.

Gov. Mike Braun has proclaimed Indiana Rail Safety Week in conjunction with the national “See Tracks? Think Train!” campaign.

State officials and rail-safety organizations are using the week to increase public awareness and enforcement around railroad crossings and property.

Drivers are being urged to obey every railroad crossing signal and never attempt to drive around lowered gates or race an approaching train.

Pedestrians are also reminded to stay off railroad tracks and other railroad property. Officials say railroad tracks are not pedestrian paths, and trains can approach quickly and require significant distances to stop.

The safety campaign emphasizes a simple message: seeing railroad tracks should immediately prompt people to think about the potential for a train.

Officials are encouraging Hoosiers to slow down and remain alert whenever they approach a crossing, particularly when warning lights, bells or gates are activated.

The campaign also stresses that trying to beat an approaching train can have deadly consequences. Drivers should wait for the crossing to fully clear rather than attempting to cross before a train arrives.

Indiana’s Rail Safety Week activities are part of a broader national effort to reduce crashes, injuries and deaths at railroad crossings and discourage trespassing on railroad property.

The state’s outreach and law-enforcement efforts are intended to reinforce basic precautions that can prevent people from putting themselves in the path of a train.