Railroad safety becomes big issue in Alabama

CSX and retired NASCAR driver Bobby Allison are combining efforts to publicize railroad-crossing safety among the general public at the Talladega Superspeedway, said a report from The Associated Press.

Train collisions have recently been responsible for a number of deaths in Alabama, so CSX has created a public safety campaign entitled, “Keep on Living.” This will include radio public service announcements and billboards educating the public on safety when crossing train tracks.

The story reports:

Six people died in three rail accidents earlier this year, leading to a summit on rail safety between government officials, industry executives and safety advocates. The “Keep on Living” campaign was a result of that meeting.

Operation Lifesaver, a co-sponsor of the promotion, said Alabama is among the worst states for crossing deaths.

The Alabama Department of Transportation says the state has about 3,800 railroad crossings, including 2,200 that are unmarked.