Union Pacific crossing accidents down three percent in 2015

Union Pacific reports that in 2015 it reduced railroad-crossing accidents by three percent with a 2.28, which is the total number of Federal Railroad Administration reportable grade crossing accidents per million train miles.

Launched in 2015, Union Pacific’s Crossing Assessment Process (CAP) focuses attention on crossings with certain characteristics where incidents may be more likely to occur. While Union Pacific said all crossings that comply with company maintenance standards are safe for the traveling public, drivers continue to make mistakes at some of them. CAP helps identify those crossings and find safety enhancements.

“Our initial review showed 25 percent of accidents happen at just four percent of grade crossings,” said Cameron Scott, Union Pacific’s executive vice president operations. “As we find ways to enhance safety at these crossings, we create some real leverage to improve safety.”

For private crossings, the company works with landowners to find alternative access that doesn’t cross the railroad.

Another safety program, UP CARES, allows the company to work with communities through a variety of outreach channels. Thousands of UP CARES events are held annually across Union Pacific’s 23-state network to educate pedestrians, motorists and truck drivers about how to stay safe around railroads and grade crossings.

In 2015, the company launched two social media campaigns targeting photographers, motorists, joggers and millennials. The campaigns generated social media engagement on channels such as Facebook and YouTube as audiences viewed and shared videos, images and rail safety ideas.