For Teen Driver Safety Week, Operation Lifesaver Offers Rail Crossing Safety Tips, Training
WASHINGTON, DC, October 14, 2010 – In advance of National Teen Driver Safety Week (October 17-23), Operation Lifesaver, Inc., the national rail safety education organization, reminds parents and teens to use caution when approaching railroad crossings. An interactive teen driving safety link, with tips from the group’s Look to Live driver education video, is on Operation Lifesaver’s website at http://bit.ly/cuFQCN.
“Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for U.S. teens, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” noted Operation Lifesaver, Inc. President Helen M. Sramek. “Operation Lifesaver’s interactive rail safety training, available on our website, reviews important tips for teen drivers to help them stay safe at highway-rail intersections.”
Sramek also offered Operation Lifesaver’s top five driving safety tips for teens and adult drivers alike:
1. Always expect a train at any crossing, and avoid distractions – don’t use your cell phone or other electronic devices near railroad tracks.
2. Do not get trapped on the tracks: only proceed through the crossing if you are sure you can completely clear the crossing without stopping.
3. Because of their size and weight, trains can’t stop quickly – they can take up to a mile or more to stop.
4. If you see a train approaching, stop; it is actually closer and moving faster than it appears. At multiple track crossings, watch out for a second train approaching from either direction.
5. If your vehicle stalls on the tracks, get out immediately and move quickly away from the tracks. Look for an emergency number at the crossing to notify authorities to stop any on-coming trains, or, call 911 or your local law enforcement agency for assistance.
About Teen Driver Safety Week
Established by Congress in 2007, National Teen Driver Safety Week promotes efforts to encourage communities to support the families of young drivers. For more information, visit the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration’s website at http://www.nhtsa.gov/Teen-Drivers.
About Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver, Inc. is a national, non-profit safety education group whose goal is to eliminate deaths and injuries at railroad crossings and along railroad rights of way. Operation Lifesaver has programs in all 50 states and the District of Columbia, with trained and certified presenters. They provide free safety talks to community groups, school bus drivers, truck drivers and student drivers to raise awareness around railroad tracks and trains. For more information, and to request a free safety presentation, visit www.oli.org.
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Phone 703.739.0284, email medwards@oli.org
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