The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) has collaborated with Google for warning drivers when they're approaching a crossing. The step has been taken to prevent railroad crossing accidents. According to a report by The New York Times, every railroad crossing in the country could be viewed in Google Maps; the app will issue both audio and visual notifications when the car comes close to a crossing.

At present, there's no schedule as to when the features could be seen in the app. The FRA said that it is expected that drivers will be more careful while intersecting railroad crossings. Approximately 94% of accidents at crossings are as a result of driver inattention and error.

According to Sarah Feinberg, the FRA’s acting administrator, most of the accidents and deaths are preventable. As per Feinberg, “In some cases, maybe a driver intends to beat the train, thinks they are familiar with the route or still have time to cross. But there are many cases where drivers lack situational awareness, because it may be dark or the route is unfamiliar”. A main reason behind accidents is that drivers try to beat the train and fail to calculate the time they have.

The FRA said that the agency has also teamed up with Apple and other mobile map makers to ensure that the safety feature is broadly adopted. According to reports, the number of accidents at railroad crossings was less than 2,000. Feinberg said that the aim of the joint venture is to make rail crossings safer for drivers.