Officials are pushing to educate the public about railroad dangers in light of a growing trend in train crashes against both cars and pedestrians.
Public service campaign ‘See Tracks, Think Train’, claims Florida saw a 25 percent increase in fatal railroad-crossing crashes from 2013 to 2014. The campaign is the product of Operation Lifesaver, sponsored by government agencies and private railroad operators.
“Florida ranks 7th in the nation with motor vehicle accidents and trains,” says Lakeland Fire Rescue Battalion Chief Mike Williams.
Williams has personally responded to numerous crash scenes.
“They’re traumatic scenes. There’s a lot of excitement. When you have a large piece of machinery like a train versus a vehicle, the risks are there for severe injuries,” says Williams.
On May 29th, an Amtrak train crashed into a car in Tampa. The following day, another passenger train traveling through Jacksonville left a car split in half. In both cases, officials report the drivers were trying to beat the train, driving around the railroad crossing arms. Williams claims it can take a train more than a mile to come to a stop. He says Florida ranks seventh in train crashes into cars.
Drivers aren’t the only offenders. Two Polk County men died weeks apart, walking near the tracks while listening to music. A person is hit by a train every three hours in the US, according to the ‘See Tracks, Think Train’ campaign. It claims trains can hang off the sides of the tracks by up to 3 feet.
Williams suggests keeping a 100-foot distance; and urges walkers, joggers and runners to use city parks and sidewalks rather than train tracks.
For more information on ‘See Tracks, Think Train’ visit www.seetracksthinktrain.org
