Union Pacific ramps up rail safety with video campaign

Written by Maggie Lancaster, assistant editor
image description

Union Pacific is encouraging safety at railroad tracks with its interactive public safety campaign. The Class 1 released the campaign on Facebook, YouTube, Hulu and other online news sites so it could be easily shared.

“Trains cannot swerve or stop quickly, unfortunately for drivers and pedestrians, trains follow the rails forward hitting anyone or anything in their paths,” said Cameron Scott, Union Pacific executive vice president and chief operating officer. “Train accidents are preventable if people actively think about their safety at railroad crossings and choose to stop and patiently wait for approaching trains.”

According to the Federal Railroad Administration, 94 percent of train-vehicle collisions can be attributed to driver behavior or poor judgment. Union Pacific says its safety campaign highlights risky driver and pedestrian behaviors in videos dispelling misconceptions that a train’s enormous size and sounds are obvious warnings that prevent people from getting hit.

Union Pacific uses photos and videos to put viewers in the driver’s seat in order to address safety and the dangers of railroad tracks. Union Pacific even uses two animated video spots to highlight the dangers of taking selfies on railroad tracks.

Full information on the Class 1’s campaign can be found here.

Tags: