Roadside Chat - Stop track tragedies. Watch for trains
Stop Track Tragedies. That’s the theme of this year’s Rail Safety Week.
A group known as Operation Lifesaver International (https://oli.org/about-us/public-awareness-campaigns/rail-safety-week) works to prevent collisions, injuries, and fatalities on and around railroad tracks and highway-rail grade crossings.
According to the group:
• Every three hours in the United States a person or vehicle is hit by a train
• More than 2,100 people are injured or killed annually in rail crossing and trespassing incidents in North America
• More than 60% of collisions occur at crossings equipped with lights and/or gates
You may think walking on train tracks is safe and that you will hear or feel a train coming. These girls, just out to get a “fun” selfie, found out that’s not always the case - https://vimeo.com/599652728.
So far this year in Iowa, 271 people have been killed in traffic crashes. That’s an increase of three since last Friday. In Iowa in 2022, there were 338 traffic-related deaths. To see statistics published daily by the Office of Driver Services, go to the daily fatality report at https://www.iowadot.gov/mvd/stats/daily.pdf