Industry News
Operation Lifesaver Launches New Campaign
June 26, 2009 | 08:30 a.m. CDT
Operation Lifesaver, Inc., the U.S. Department of Transportation and major railroad companies June 24 announced the launch of the Common Sense campaign to reduce the number of pedestrians who are killed and injured when trespassing around tracks and trains.
The campaign is focused on 18 to 34-year-olds, who make up the largest percentage of railroad-related pedestrian casualties. The Common Sense campaign is designed to educate the public about the risks of trespassing on railroad property.
The campaign includes an interactive website, Internet ads, safety tips, videos and local events, located at www.CommonSenseUseIt.com. It will be test-marketed in areas where pedestrian rail trespass incidents frequently occur, including targeted local markets.
"Young adults also may be distracted by cell phones, texting, or listening to MP3 players if they're near the tracks," said Cliff Stayton, a former locomotive engineer. "This new public awareness campaign has a simple message: staying away from the tracks is common sense, and it can save your life."
According to Federal Railroad Administration statistics, the casualty rate for all rail trespassers rose in 2008. More than 870 people died or were injured in railroad-related trespassing incidents in 2008, and the numbers have topped 9,000 in the last 10 years.
States with the highest number of pedestrian rail trespass deaths in 2008 include: California, Illinois, Texas, Florida, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Tennessee, North Carolina, New York, Ohio, Massachusetts and Georgia. Federal Railroad Administrator Joseph Szabo notes that 18 to 34-year-olds represent nearly 36 percent of all the rail-related pedestrian casualties that occurred last year.
Railroad companies partnering with Operation Lifesaver's Common Sense campaign include CSX, Union Pacific, Amtrak, BNSF, Norfolk Southern, and Kansas City Southern.
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