Committee Releases Strategies to Enhance Safety Along Rail Lines

A rail safety committee released strategies today it plans on implemented to reduce the number of fatalities at railroad crossings.

The committee was created in response to teenagers who were killed at railroad crossings earlier this year, including . 

The committee was tasked with developing strategies in order to increase safety across the state’s rail network, particularly in densely-populated areas. It is composed of members from various federal and state safety groups, including the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NJ Transit, and the State Police.

“The aim of this committee is to create new partnerships and renew existing ones with other agencies at the state and federal levels to develop new tactics for enhancing rail safety,” NJ Transit Executive Director James Weinstein said.

Locomotive engineers and other train personnel will be actively engaged in identifying and reporting patterns of trespasser activity to law enforcement agencies.

The committee also recommended that the state’s Department of Transportation re-inspect of rail, light rail, and bus systems to look for areas where additional safety measurers can be implemented. The inspections will also indentify changes in the neighborhoods surrounding rail lines that may occurred in recent years, including new residential developments or schools that were constructed after the transit system was installed.

The committee also acknowledged the need to partner with the Department of Education and state legislators to mandate educating students about the dangers associated with railroads and rail crossings.

A safety summit involving community leaders and representatives from groups like the Boy and Girl Scouts could assist NJ Transit officials to spread the word about the partnership.

NJ Transit already conducts rail safety presentations in about 300 schools annually. A police officer or a train engineer who have been involved in a fatal rail accident will now speak at these presentations. Such a program was already presented to Garfield students earlier this month.

A public service announcement, safety tips, and a safety video will be placed on njtransit.com. Officials are also examining using social media tools to communicate with teenagers and young adults.