WASHINGTON — During the holiday season we have a lot on our minds, but a national highway-rail safety group is cautioning motorists and pedestrians to be careful at highway-rail grade crossings and to stay off rail rights-of-way. “Take Safety to Heart,” is the message from Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), a nonprofit rail safety outreach program with 49 State Coordinators and nearly 3,000 trained presenters nationwide.
“In this time of shopping, celebration and family reunions, many of us will be traveling away from home on unfamiliar, possibly icy roads,” Gerri Hall, OLI President, said. “So a little extra care as you approach a crossing could mean the difference between a joyous or a tragic new year.”
Students home for the holidays may be tempted to walk on the tracks or along rail rights-of-way, Hall noted. This could also lead to tragedy. “Trains in the distance can be closer than you think, so we urge you to: Stay Off! Stay Away! Stay Alive!’“
Approaching its 30th year, Operation Lifesaver and its safety partners have been credited by the Federal Highway Administration with helping to save 10,000 lives and preventing 40,000 injuries through its national outreach program.
Yet the problem is not solved, Hall points out. Every 120 minutes a collision occurs between a vehicle or a pedestrian and a train. In 2000, according to the Federal Railroad Administration, there were 3,500 collisions at highway-rail grade crossings in America. These resulted in 425 deaths and 1,219 injuries. An additional 463 pedestrians died last year walking on or along tracks.
Operation Lifesaver (OL) is a non-profit, nationwide public education program dedicated to ending crashes, injuries and fatalities at intersections where roadways meet railways and along railroad rights-of-way. OL’s Presenters are trained to speak to community groups, school children, and others to offer safety tips. Video training modules are available for professional truck drivers, emergency response personnel, school bus drivers, and new drivers. All drivers are urged to “Look, Listen and Live!” at rail crossings.