Operation Lifesaver, Inc. "Train of Thought" blog, 4/16:
A traffic ticket that could save your life
An officer issues a warning to a motorist as part of a 2014 Illinois Rail Safety Week crossing enforcement activity.
If you were driving or walking around railroad crossings during last fall’s Illinois Rail Safety Week, or attending a soccer game or concert last summer at Columbus, Ohio’s Mapfre Stadium, you might have been one of the thousands of people who received a warning or citation for disobeying rail crossing warning signals or trespassing on railroad property. These rail safety law enforcement blitzes were carried out by a coordinated coalition of local police agencies and railroad police to stop unsafe behavior in its tracks.
Effective enforcement of state highway safety laws at railroad crossings and of anti-trespassing laws is a crucial component of the “three E’s” of rail safety: Education, Engineering, and Enforcement. With preliminary 2014 statistics showing an increase of more than eight percent in crossing collisions and nearly 10 percent for trespass casualties, state and federal officials are taking a closer look at the role enforcement plays in communities.
SNIP
While no one enjoys getting a citation from a police officer, the ticket you receive for disobeying crossing warning signals or trespassing on railroad property could save your life!
Read more here.