 September 22, 2017
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sheriff Mark C. Curran, Jr.
MEDIA RELEASE
Contact: Antonietta Simonian
Office: 847.377.4174
Email: asimonian@lakecountyil.gov
The
Lake County Sheriff’s Office is raising rail safety awareness during Illinois Rail Safety Awareness Week, set for Sunday, September 24-30. Highway Patrol deputies will be placing signs in locations close to train stations to increase rail safety awareness and education.
Sheriff Mark Curran reminds motorists and pedestrians, "There is nothing more important than your life. Slow down around rail crossings and never try to beat the gates. In a train versus car or pedestrian collision, the train always wins. I encourage parents of new drivers to stress the importance of rail safety with them."
Remember, not only is it against the law to stop your vehicle on the railroad tracks, it is against the law to stop your vehicle anywhere within the highway-rail grade crossing. Highway-rail grade crossings are typically marked by white stop lines located on the pavement in advance of the crossing, and if not marked by white stop lines, the highway-rail grade crossing extends from protective gate arm to protective gate arm.
The Lake County Sheriff's Office is joining the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) in the fourth statewide Illinois Rail Safety Week along with Union Pacific, CN Railroads and state, county and local law enforcement agencies throughout Illinois. Operation LifeSaver has declared the same week as National Rail Safety Week.
According to Illinois Operation LifeSaver, 2016 collision totals in Illinois were 120 and 22 lost their lives. Illinois ranks 3rd in the nation for highway-rail crashes at crossings in 2016.
For more information about Illinois Rail
Safety Week, please visit www.illinoisrailsafetyweek.org
End of Release.
25 S Martin Luther King Jr. Avenue | Waukegan | Illinois | 60085
Emergency: 911
Non Emergency: 847.549.5200
Business Hours: 847.377.4000
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