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OGDEN, Utah (AP) -- Data from the Association of American Railroads shows Utah's rail system is on track for the safest year in decades.
Derailments dropped by nine during the first six months of 2007 -- a 39 percent decrease over the same period in 2006.
AAR data shows Utah is one of 33 states that saw a decline in train accidents. The association cites human error and track issues as the leading causes of railroad accidents.
Vern Kesslar of the nonprofit Operation Lifesaver Utah says improved safety is the result of combined public awareness campaigns, engineering and enforcement.
He says the Utah Department of Transportation has added better signal crossings that alert drivers to oncoming train traffic on railroad lines for the FrontRunner commuter train that will debut in 2008.
Operation Lifesaver supplies rail safety education to high school students, bus drivers and commercial truck drivers.
Information from: Standard-Examiner
(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
