Deputies in Vanderburgh County, Indiana, will issue citations rather than warnings to drivers who violate rules at railroad crossings during Indiana Rail Safety Week, according to local broadcaster WLFI.

The enforcement push is part of the statewide safety week, which focuses attention on driver behavior at highway-rail grade crossings. Instead of the customary warning for a first offence, deputies in the southwestern Indiana county will ticket violators directly.

The shift from warnings to citations is aimed at changing driver conduct at crossings, where violations typically include driving around lowered gates, stopping on the tracks, or ignoring active warning devices.

Grade-crossing enforcement of this kind is a standard tool used by law enforcement agencies and rail operators to reduce collisions between vehicles and trains. Crossing incidents remain a persistent source of fatalities and injuries on US rail networks, and campaigns that pair visible police presence with fines are designed to produce measurable reductions in risky behavior.

Indiana Rail Safety Week brings together law enforcement agencies, rail operators and safety regulators across the state for coordinated education and enforcement activity.

For Vanderburgh County, the practical outcome the campaign targets is straightforward: fewer vehicles on the tracks when trains arrive, and a documented drop in crossing violations during the enforcement period.