Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI) announced it is releasing three new public service announcements (PSAs) in English and Spanish to help delivery drivers make safe choices near railroad crossings.
Every three hours a person or vehicle is hit by a train in the U.S., according to OLI's news release. Over 50% of vehicle-train collisions occur at crossings with lights and or gates. Preliminary statistics from the Federal Railroad Administration show that collisions between all vehicles and trains at railroad crossings rose 12.9% in 2021 to 2,146 incidents. Crossing incidents involving automobiles rose 20.8% and incidents involving vans were up 23.3% in 2021.
“Delivery drivers are crucial to our economy every day of the year, but with the busy holiday package delivery season upon us, it’s imperative that these drivers make the safe choice around railroad tracks,” said Rachel Maleh, OLI executive director. “Whether you are delivering holiday gifts, groceries, or someone’s dinner, you are more important than your delivery.”
OLI’s new rail safety materials for delivery drivers include “Hustle,” a PSA available in 50, 30, and 15-second versions for package delivery drivers; “Radio,” a 30-second PSA for local food and grocery delivery drivers; and “Pizza,” a 30-second PSA showing what to do if stalled or stuck on the tracks.
Funding for the new PSAs was provided by the Federal Highway Administration. The new delivery driver PSAs are available on the OLI website.
