(The following story by Linda N. Weller appeared on The Alton Telegraph website on July 14.)
ALTON, Ill. — Railroad representatives and police passed out safety literature Monday where a school bus driver broke off a crossing gate stop arm in May.
The activity was part of a regional effort to educate and reward safe drivers at railroad crossings in Illinois.
Officials said the 90-minute session was unrelated to the First Student Inc. incident May 20. They said the men would be going to other high-traffic railroad crossings to pass out the brochures and reward drivers and passengers wearing seat belts with free key chains and pens.
They were in Cahokia on Friday.
“We are trying to do all of the major crossings in the next two to three months,” said Don Brock of Alton, a Union Pacific employee representing the Illinois Commerce Commission’s Operation Lifesaver.
Also participating were two Union Pacific railroad agents and Pfc. David Penney of the Alton Police Department’s Traffic Division.
The group spent 90 minutes at the tracks crossing Humbert Road, just north of Homer Adams Parkway, passing out literature to occupants of 321 vehicles.
“We explained what the rules and regulations are, according to state law,” Brock said. “It’s an outstanding program. Ninety-eight percent of the people were real nice about it.”
Besides railroad safety, the crew reminded drivers and passengers about the importance of wearing seat belts.
“It’s a positive enforcement program,” Brock said. “There were no citations. We want them to stop at crossings and stay stopped until the lights stop flashing. We tell them, ‘We’re here to save your life.’
“A lot of people said, ‘We like seeing you.’ We got a lot of encouragement.”
Chip Pew, state coordinator for the ICC’s Illinois Operation Lifesaver, based in the Chicago area, said the program educates drivers and rewards them for driving safely.
“We do them periodically throughout the state,” he said. “It is a positive effort to praise people for doing the right thing.”
On May 20, Edith Georgewitz of Godfrey was driving a school bus at the railroad crossing. An arm hit the front, top of the bus as she drove over the tracks. At that time, Pew said he believed Georgewitz stopped as she was supposed to do, then began moving again as the bell and lights activated and an Amtrak train approached.
Georgewitz reportedly told investigators she did not hear the warning bell or see the flashing lights. Police cited Georgewitz with disregarding a railroad signal and leaving the scene of a property damage accident. She has a court date of Aug. 1, Madison County Court records show.
The bus company suspended Georgewitz.
“She is still employed with First Student but is currently not driving while we finish our internal investigation,” said spokeswoman Kimberly Mulcahy of Naperville. “We have been working closely with the school district to address concerns with Union Pacific, who is making changes to improve visibility at the tracks.”