This week is “See Tracks? Think Train Week”, designed to help prevent crossing and trespassing incidents across North America.
Francis Edeker of Clarksville is the State Coordinator for the Operation Lifesaver Program in Iowa, and tells RadioOnTheGo News that many accidents still occur at railroad crossings.
“Running around the gates and lights is a big problem. 60% of the incidents with the trains happen at crossings where there are lights and gates out there. And 25% of the incidents are people that drive into the side of the trains out there. And of those 25%, 25% of them hit the 30th or 40th or 50th car of the train, which means they’re doing the distraction and not paying attention.”
Edeker says trespassing on railroad property also continues to be a problem, and he explains why.
“Family pictures and high school senior pictures being taken on the railroad tracks. That’s a big problem here in the state of Iowa and even in the United States all over having pictures taken on the tracks. And a lot of people don’t realize that the state legislature a few years ago passed some new trespassing laws that a lot of people don’t know about that we talk about. If you cross at a highway crossing or a sidewalk crossing the tracks, any other place or walk down them or beside them on the right of way you’re trespassing. The way the law reads is all the officer has to see you out there. I’m gonna ask you if you’re trespassing and he can write you a ticket.”
More than 23-hundred people are killed or injured every year in railroad crossing and trespass incidents in North America.
