(The following appeared on the Shreveport Times website on August 31, 2009.)
SHREVEPORT, La. — The Bossier City Police Department conducted ‘Operation ‘Lifesaver’ today in conjunction with Kansas City Southern Railroad to crack down on drivers who try to beat trains at railroad crossings.
The operation was conducted from 8 a.m. to noon as officers with the BCPD traffic division were stationed near the railroad crossings that run along Barksdale Boulevard south from Interstate 20, a news release states.
In total, Bossier City police say motorists received 46 citations for disregarding railroad crossings. Other citations included those for having no driver’s license, speeding, having no insurance and running a red light. One driver was arrested for having an outstanding warrant. Representatives with KCS also handed out railroad crossing safety information to violators.
Bossier City police say that during the operation, a Bossier City officer rode on a KCS train to observe motorist behavior at highway-railroad grade crossings as the train approached. When a motorist violated the grade crossing traffic laws, the officer on the train radioed to an officer stationed near the crossing, who then issued the motorist a citation.
“Operation Lifesaver is designed to do what its name implies, and that is to save lives by educating the public about the dangers associated with railroad crossings particularly when drivers attempt to beat an approaching train,” Bossier City Police Chief Mike Halphen said in the release.
In 2008, there were 43 vehicle-train crashes in Louisiana that resulted in 15 deaths and 33 injuries, and in 2006 the state ranked 4th in the nation for crossing crash deaths, police say. ‘Operation Lifesaver’ is held periodically to bring awareness to the dangers of vehicle-train collisions.