| id | cleanReleaseDate | troopName | title |
| 3259 | 2018-09-25 | Troop D | Rail Safety Week Enforcement Detail in Calcasieu Parish |
| TROOP D NEWS RELEASE September 25, 2018 Rail Safety Week Enforcement Detail in Calcasieu Parish CALCASIEU PARISH – This morning Louisiana State Police Troop D, the Sulphur Police Department, Union Pacific Police Department, and Kansas City Southern Police Department in conjunction with Union Pacific Railroad, Kansas City Southern Railway, and the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development conducted a railroad grade crossing enforcement detail on Louisiana Highway 108 in Calcasieu Parish. Troopers and officers were looking for drivers who fail to yield the right of way as a train approached a crossing as well as other violations. Troopers and officers distributed rail safety educational material during today’s event. Additionally, a total of 56 traffic citations were issued including 47 for failure to obey a signal indicating the approach of a train, 2 for a suspended driver’s license, 4 for an expired license plate, 1 for no vehicle insurance, 1 for an expired motor vehicle inspection, and 1 seat belt violation. Louisiana state law requires motorists to obey signals at railroad crossings indicating a train is approaching including flashing red lights and/or lowered gates. Failure to obey these signals may result in a fine of up to $200.00 and up to 30 days in jail for a first offense with higher fines and increased jail time possible for additional violations. The fine for racing a train is up to $1,000. Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), the national rail safety education nonprofit, is working in partnership with the U.S. Department of Transportation and other organizations to observe the second national Rail Safety Week (RSW), September 23-29, 2018. Today’s event was also part of the nationwide Operation Clear Track enforcement campaign. While the number of highway-rail crossing collisions, deaths and injuries has dropped over the past five decades, it’s still a startling fact that about every three hours in the U.S., a person or vehicle is hit by a train. The goal of RSW is to raise awareness across the United States of the need for rail safety education and empower the general public to keep themselves safe near highway-rail grade crossings and railroad rights-of-way. We want to stop track tragedies. Additional enforcement details are planned. Contact information Sgt. James Anderson Louisiana State Police Public Affairs Section Office: (337) 491-2932 james.l.anderson@la.gov www.LSP.org www.facebook.com/LouisianaStatePolice | |||
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