Rail Safety Week to take place through Saturday

Gov. Daniels announced that Aug. 30-Sept. 5 will be Rail Safety Week in Indiana.

Indiana Operation Lifesaver and the Indiana Department of Transportation are promoting this week to help raise awareness on highway-rail safety, according to a press release.

Law enforcement will be watching for vehicles disobeying highway-rail laws, along with pedestrians disobeying the laws to help lower the number of collisions and fatalities, according to the release.

Indiana ranks third for number of highway-rail grade collisions and fourth for fatalities, according to the Indiana Operation Lifesaver Web site.

Indiana State Police and Operation Lifesaver urge motorists to slow down when approaching a highway-rail grade crossing because the average train traveling at 50 mph cannot stop in less than a mile.