Norfolk Southern will launch a pilot safety campaign to focus on grade crossing incident prevention at six locations including cities in Ohio, Pennsylvania, Indiana and Kentucky.
The carrier said it will partner with mobile navigation application WAZE to target drivers with messages promoting safety at and near railroad crossings.
Receiving special attention will be Toledo, Ohio; Gary, Indiana; Louisville, Kentucky; and Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.
NS noted that in Gary there have been 28 grade crossing incidents at nine crossings since 1990. Toledo has had 14 incidents at seven crossings since 1981, the east side of Louisville has recorded 40 incidents at 12 crossings since 2000, and in Allegheny County there have been six incidents at five crossings since 2007.
NS said it will use WAZE to provide drivers near railroad crossings with messages promoting grade crossing safety information.
The application will deliver banner notifications to WAZE users who cross into a “geo fence” encompassing several traditionally problem crossings in the targeted areas.
The messages will be sent even if a driver does not drive across a grade crossing.
The notifications will include a crossbuck graphic and a grade crossing safety-inspired message, along with a link to a website with more railroad safety information.
To avoid contributing to distracted driving, the notifications will be delivered once the user’s vehicle stops.
WAZE has 30 million users in the United States and is free to download.
The pilot program will run through the end of 2019.
Tags: grade crossing safety campaigns, Norfolk Southern, railroad safety campaigns, WAZE
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