Northwest Iowa — Every year, 2,100 North Americans are killed or seriously injured when they engage in unsafe behavior around tracks and trains. Operation Lifesaver, a nonprofit organization operating in the U.S. and Canada, works to eliminate these preventable incidents.
And they are observing Rail Safety Week in North America. As part of Rail Safety week, they are highlighting their public awareness campaign aimed at saving lives near railroad tracks.
The campaign, called #STOPTrackTragedies, features videos with the personal stories of people affected by rail crossing or trespassing incidents — including victims, friends, and family members, locomotive engineers, and first responders.
Especially as we approach harvest season, farmers and rural residents also need to be aware of rural train crossings.
Every three hours a train is involved in an accident with a vehicle or a pedestrian. Rachel Maleh is the Executive Director for Operation Lifesaver. She says distraction is the number one culprit for these accidents.
Railroad crossings are even more dangerous in rural areas, especially on gravel roads where there may only be the crossbuck signs to warn you of a train. Farmers need to heed five tips when dealing with these types of encounters.
Maleh says if you can follow these safety tips, you can set an example for others to follow. Eventually, these practices can catch on.
You can view the #STOPTrackTragedies videos at stoptracktragedies.ca or oli.org.
Our news partner, the Iowa Agribusiness Radio Network contributed to this story.
Photo caption: Railroad crossing in Lester, Iowa (KIWA staff photo)
