FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 16, 2002
Senator
Oelslager Leads the Way to Railroad Crossing Safety with
Introduction of SCR039
Senator is supported by Angels On Track Foundation
whose slogan is "Bad
Crossings Kill Good Drivers."
Columbus, Ohio, June 16, 2002: "It is time
that as the state with the densest population per square
miles to railroad miles, Ohio set aside a day to empower
its citizens with information about the need for crossings
to have both gates and lights," says Vicky Moore,
Director of Angels on Track, an Ohio crossing safety organization. "We
are pleased to support the efforts of Senator Oelslager
to inform all Ohioans and to promote rail crossing safety."
The joint use of gates and lights at crossings has proved
to be 90 percent effective, yet the State of Ohio has 6,412
public railroad at grade crossings, of which only 2,160
are protected by both automatic gates and flashing lights.
2,725 are protected only by crossbuck signs. "The stark reality is that for
the year 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 and thirteenth
in the overall number of serious injuries resulting from such
accidents," notes Ms. Moore.
The resolution points out that not only does the public need
to be educated about responsible driving practices at railroad
at-grade crossings, but that public officials need to be educated
as to the need for the expedited installation of gates at all
railroad grade crossings within this state, and that railroads
have a shared responsibility for selection and funding of protective
devices at railroad grade crossings.
"This concurrent resolution is proof to Ohioans that their legislature
is concerned about their safety," adds Ms. Moore. "It is very appropriate
that in the wake of recent accidents, this session of the legislature focuses
its efforts upon such an important issue. We thank Senator Oelslager for his
initiative in this pressing matter." Senate Concurrent Resolution 39 is
up for vote in the Senate Highways and Transportation Committee tomorrow which
is chaired by Sen. Jeffry Armbrsuter.
"Ohio leads the nation in the number of grade crossings with neither lights
or gates, and therefore, it is imperative that Ohio lead the nation in at-grade
crossing safety."
The Angels on Track Foundation ™ is an Ohio non-profit
organization, famous for its video "Without Warning",
and known nationally for its grants to help fund railroad at-grade
crossing improvements and for promoting railroad safety education
through its education subsidiary, Crossing to Safety™.
Vicky and Dennis Moore are trustees. Their son, Ryan, was killed
at an unprotected Ohio crossing in 1995.
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