Don't take photos near train tracks, safety group advises
Washington – Using train tracks as backdrops for portraits of families, high school seniors and wedding parties poses a significant risk of death and injury, according to Operation Lifesaver Inc., an Alexandria, VA-based safety education group.
Nearly 800 people were injured or killed while trespassing on railroad property in the United States last year, according to an Operation Lifesaver press release.
The group offered the following warnings:
- Trains cannot come to a quick stop to avoid people on the tracks.
- It is difficult for a person to accurately determine the distance and speed of a train.
- An average train overhangs the track by about 3 feet.
- Never assume tracks are abandoned or no longer in use.
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