It’s Rail Safety Week in Indiana

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August 27, 2012

It’s Rail Safety Week in Indiana

State is second in the nation in railroad crossing collisions

NEWS AND TRIBUNE newsroom@newsandtribune.com The News and Tribune Mon Aug 27, 2012, 08:44 PM EDT

INDIANAPOLIS — Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels declared Aug. 26 through Sept. 1 as Indiana Rail Safety Week.

Indiana Operation Lifesaver, Indiana State Police, Indiana Department of Transportation, local law enforcement and railroad companies have joined forces to raise the public's awareness about the dangers of disregarding railroad crossings laws and trespassing laws.

“Every collision between a vehicle or person and a train is preventable,” said Jessica Feder, executive director of Indiana Operation Lifesaver, in a press release. “Indiana law enforcement agencies and railroad special agents will be out monitoring railroad crossings during Indiana Rail Safety Week. The laws about obeying railroad traffic control signals as well as the laws pertaining to pedestrians trespassing on railroad rights-of-way will be strictly enforced. Safety is the bottom line. Lives can be saved.”

Indiana Operation Lifesaver has scheduled numerous enforcement blitzes throughout Indiana involving law enforcement agencies. There will also be PSAs throughout the state, safety information distributed at college campuses, posters on SouthShore trains and at stations and media coverage of events. Indiana is also taking a proactive lead in the elimination of trespassing and pedestrian fatalities at railroad crossings.

In 2011, there were 116 railroad crossing collisions resulting in 38 people injured and 10 fatalities in Indiana. There were also 11 trespasser deaths and nine trespasser injuries last year. These numbers only reflect people who were injured or killed, not those people who broke the law and suffered no consequences. Indiana is ranked second nationally for railroad crossing collisions, behind only Texas.

“We are constantly striving to improve the railroad crossings in Indiana,” Feder said. “However, more than half of the collisions at these public crossings occur where active warning devices, such as flashing lights and gates, exist. We encourage everyone to take these warning devices seriously and pay attention at all railroad crossings. Remember to always expect a train.”

To learn more about Indiana Operation Lifesaver, visit www.inol.org or call 317-267-4011.