Fla. Gov. Crist declares Safety Awareness Week

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist declared the third week in April "Train Safety Awareness Week" (TSAW)

Set for April 18 through 24, volunteers from the railroad industry, as well as law-enforcement personnel and emergency responders, will stage an information blitz to educate the public about the laws and rules governing activity around train tracks and grade crossings.

During the week-long "blitz," law enforcement personnel will be positioned at various grade crossings, where they will be issuing warnings and citations to drivers and pedestrians who do not adhere to the laws relating to trains and railroad tracks. An additional effort this year will be focused on trespasser prevention, especially between Tri-Rail's West Palm Beach and Mangonia Park stations, along the South Florida Rail Corridor, where trespasser fatalities have been numerous.

Operation Lifesaver and the South Florida Regional Transportation Authority are partnering in TSAW, along with Amtrak, Bombardier, CSX Transportation, the Federal Transit Administration, the Florida Department of Transportation, Veolia and Wackenhut Corporation, as well as various law-enforcement agencies and first-responder teams throughout the tri-county area.