State Troopers, MoDOT Staffers, Railroad Officials to Remind Motorists of Railway Safety

(The following press release was issued by the Missouri State Highway Patrol.)

Captain Ronald S. Johnson, commanding officer of Troop C, Weldon Spring, announced that on August 22-23, 2012, Troop C will be working with members of the Missouri Operation Lifesaver program in St. Charles County, St. Louis County, and Jefferson County to raise the awareness level for railroad crossing safety and trespass prevention.

This will be accomplished by Operation Lifesaver team members visiting with motorists briefly in advance of certain railroad crossings. Team members will be reminding drivers about railroad safety tips as they approach crossings throughout the counties.

Operation Lifesaver team members will consist of troopers with the Missouri State Highway Patrol; officers from local law enforcement agencies; representatives from Norfolk Southern, Union Pacific Railroad, BNSF Railway, Missouri Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration; and Operation Lifesaver volunteers.

Over the past two and a half years, seven crossing crashes have occurred in these three counties, resulting in one fatality and two injuries. In addition, during the same time frame, eight trespass incidents have resulted in five fatalities and five injuries.

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For more information on Operation Lifesaver, contact Rick Mooney, Missouri Operation Lifesaver state coordinator, at 573-634-4113 (office) or 573-230-3284 (cell). For additional information or statistics, please visit the state website at www.ShowMeOL.org or the national website at www.oli.org.