OPERATION LIFESAVER INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AND TRAINING SEMINAR

REMARKS FOR
VADM THOMAS J. BARRETT, USCG (RET.)
DEPUTY SECRETARY OF TRANSPORTATION

OPERATION LIFESAVER INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM AND TRAINING SEMINAR
COVINGTON, KY

JULY 21, 2008
1:00 PM

Thank you, Helen, for that introduction, and for your fine work leading OLI.

And thanks to all of you for your dedication, and for your terrific record of achievement in promoting the safety of grade crossings and railroad rights of way.

As you know, approximately 95 percent of rail-related deaths in America are the result of grade crossing collisions and trespassing on railroad property. These deaths are preventable, and through the educational efforts of Operation Lifesaver, you all are saving lives every day.

And to help you in your efforts, today I am announcing that the Department of Transportation will award you a grant of over $1 million so that you can continue to reduce collisions at grade crossings, and prevent trespassing on railroad tracks.

This Federal Railroad Administration grant, plus $338,000 in matching funds and services from OLI, is dedicated to your States Assistance Program, will help provide up to 50 contributions to state organizations that manage railroad safety awareness programs.

In addition, the funds will support training initiatives for OLI’s 2,100 volunteer trainers and presenters, communications programs, and publications including development and distribution of new public service announcements.

Among the new OLI initiatives slated for 2009 is a video for professional drivers, new outreach tools for the Hispanic/Latino community, new public service announcements, and a young adult outreach program.

This grant is a continuation of the goals of the Department’s National Rail Safety Action Plan, which provides a roadmap for guiding federal, state, local, and industry efforts to combat railroad-related dangers.

The Plan has been successful, with train accidents falling 23 percent over the past three years.

Secretary Peters has made safety the Department’s top priority, and Joe Boardman has led that effort at FRA with determination.

Our ever-present, department-wide focus on safety has saved lives on America’s roads and rails and in our skies. In fact, our transportation network is safer than ever before.

But, while there has been an overall increase in safety, we have noticed a disturbing trend: rural areas are home to a disproportionate number of transportation-related incidents and fatalities.

In 2006, for example, more than 23,000 people were killed in rural motor vehicle crashes. That’s more than 55 percent of all traffic fatalities — even as Americans drove twice the number of miles on urban roads.

To address this disparity, Secretary Peters launched the Department’s Rural Safety Initiative to help states and communities develop ways to eliminate the risks drivers face on America’s rural roads, and to highlight available solutions and resources.

The nearly $300 million program addresses five key goals: safer drivers, better roads, smarter roads, better-trained emergency responders, and improved outreach and partnerships.

And we recognize that rural grade crossings are often the sites of fatal incidents. Almost 47 percent of all public crossing collisions occurred on roadways classified as rural over the past three years. These collisions accounted for 58 percent of the fatalities and 54 percent of the injuries for all crossing collisions.

The good news is that at all grade crossings in the US from 2004 to 2007, incidents and fatalities declined 10.8 percent and 9.1 percent respectively. In the first four months of this year, grade crossing collisions are down 14.3 percent from the same period in 2007.

However, there were still nearly 3,000 collisions and 338 deaths at America’s 227,000 grade crossings last year.

And, 473 people needlessly lost their lives last year by trespassing along railroad rights of way. Trespassing is the number one cause of death along the rails and is perhaps our biggest challenge.

So to address these problems, Secretary Peters recently announced several safety initiatives designed to reduce collisions between motor vehicles and trains as part of our ongoing Highway-Rail Crossing Safety and Trespass Prevention Action Plan.

The Action Plan utilizes the combined expertise of several Department of Transportation divisions, including the FRA, Federal Highway Administration, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Federal Transit Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Under the plan, FRA began requiring the placement of reflective tape on locomotives and rail cars to improve their visibility to motorists in dark or inclement weather conditions, particularly for passive crossings not equipped with flashing lights or gates.

FRA also developed educational materials for migrant farm workers about the hazards present at grade crossings and the dangers of trespassing on railroad property, while the Motor Carrier Safety Administration launched outreach to truckers dedicated to grade crossing safety issues.

Among several reports issued by the FRA, a new comprehensive study entitled Safety of Private Highway-Rail Grade Crossings detailed the lessons learned from five public meetings and describing possible courses of action to improve safety at such locations through development of a national policy or issuance of federal regulations.

In the coming months, the FRA will also issue a multi-year research and development plan that includes several projects specifically addressing grade crossing safety issues.

The plan will include researching innovative and low-cost technologies to modernize existing warning devices, improving detection of oncoming trains by motor vehicle drivers, and application of Intelligent Transportation System solutions.

The Department is also taking action to reduce the unnecessary dangers of unused and underutilized grade crossings. As Secretary Peters has said, the safest crossing is one that doesn’t exist. So, by the end of the year, the FRA will issue a revised guidebook to assist states and communities in closing or consolidating unneeded or little used public grade crossings while improving crossing safety at those that remain open.

Under the guidance of FRA Administrator Boardman, and with the efforts of OLI, law enforcement agencies, railroads, states and other safety partners, these programs will continue to reduce collisions.

The Department is committed to safety throughout the entirety of our transportation network, and grade crossings are no exception.

But grade crossing safety can only be achieved through the combined efforts of government at all levels, the railroad industry, advocacy groups, and drivers. I want to thank you for your commitment to safety on America’s railroads, and for your invitation to join you today.

Thank you.

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Briefing Room