FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 19, 2002

SENATE OKs OELSLAGER RESOLUTION FOR RAILROAD CROSSING SAFETY AWARENESS DAY

COLUMBUS -- The Ohio Senate today approved a resolution sponsored by Senator Scott Oelslager (R-Plain Twp.) that would designate September 8, 2002, as "Railroad Crossing Safety Awareness Day." Senate Concurrent Resolution 39 passed the Senate with a unanimous vote after also receiving unanimous support from the Senate Committee on Highways and Transportation.

In 2000, Ohio ranked sixth highest in the nation for the number of accidents involving trains and motor vehicles, and seventh in the overall number of deaths. Ohio has 6,412 public railroad crossings, 2,160 of which are protected by both automatic gates and flashing lights.

The combination of lights and automatic gates has proven to be 90 percent effective at preventing collisions between trains and vehicles. However, flashing lights alone mark 2,725 of Ohio’s railroad crossings while 1,170 are designated by only crossbuck signs.

"When both gates and lights are present and working properly at railroad crossings, they have proven to be 90 percent effective in curbing the likelihood of accidents," Oelslager said. "This fact is all the more reason for us to examine how well our crossings are protected and to commit to making them as safe as they can be."

In 1999, America’s safest year to date at railroad crossings, 402 people lost their lives in accidents at railroad crossings. Only an estimated 20 percent of railroad crossings in the United States are protected by flashing lights and automatic gates.

Recognizing the importance of the issue of railroad crossing safety, September 8^th was chosen because it was the first day on which Ohio took part in the national event known as "Rally at the Rails" to increase awareness of the dangers faced even by responsible drivers when crossing railroad tracks.

"It’s important to keep railroad crossing safety in mind every day, but I feel that by designating September 8^th as Railroad Crossing Safety Awareness Day, we will call attention to the dangers that tend to get overlooked in the hustle and bustle of our daily activities," Oelslager said.

The Angels on Track Foundation supports this resolution, which seeks to remind drivers to be aware of difficult sight lines, inadequate protective devices and steep approaches to railroad grades. The founder for the Angels on Track Foundation is Stark County resident, Vicky Moore. Ms. Moore has undertaken the mission of improving railroad-crossing safety throughout Ohio. Created by Vicky Moore and her husband in 1998, the purpose of the foundation is to help fund railroad grade crossing safety upgrades by supplying the local match under the state funded program in the form of reimbursement grants.

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