OMAHA, Neb., Oct. 12, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- It sounds simple. When railroad crossing arms are down or the warning lights are flashing, drivers and pedestrians must wait for the passing train. But last year, Federal Railroad Administration statistics reveal 915 people nationwide were killed or injured trespassing on railroad property.
Keeping pace isn't worth driving around the gate when the arms are down and lights flashing. Always expect a train.
If the crossing arms are down or the lights are flashing, you must assume a train is coming even if you can't see it.
Union Pacific Railroad this week launched a new campaign exclusively on social media, urging drivers and pedestrians to think about their personal safety first and wait at grade crossings. New videos depict different scenarios in which a jogger, young couple and father and son are stopped, waiting for a train to pass. When the arms lift, each proceeds safely toward a spectacular future.
"Our message is straightforward – Your Life is Worth the Wait," said Scott Moore, Union Pacific senior vice president – Corporate Relations. "Union Pacific trains operate in more than 7,300 communities; too often our employees see drivers or pedestrians sneak around the gates. Even after applying the emergency brakes, it can take a mile for a train to stop; the risk is never worth it."
To watch campaign videos and share this important safety reminder, visit up.com.
This is Union Pacific's second safety campaign launched exclusively on social media this year. The first addressed high school photography on railroad tracks.
ABOUT UNION PACIFIC
Union Pacific Railroad is the principal operating company of Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP). One of America's most recognized companies, Union Pacific Railroad connects 23 states in the western two-thirds of the country by rail, providing a critical link in the global supply chain. From 2005-2014, Union Pacific invested more than $31 billion in its network and operations to support America's transportation infrastructure. The railroad's diversified business mix includes Agricultural Products, Automotive, Chemicals, Coal, Industrial Products and Intermodal. Union Pacific serves many of the fastest-growing U.S. population centers, operates from all major West Coast and Gulf Coast ports to eastern gateways, connects with Canada's rail systems and is the only railroad serving all six major Mexico gateways. Union Pacific provides value to its roughly 10,000 customers by delivering products in a safe, reliable, fuel-efficient and environmentally responsible manner.
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