Virginia Rail Safety Month

By virtue of the authority vested by the Constitution of Virginia in the Governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia, there is hereby officially recognized:

WHEREAS, the Commonwealth of Virginia ranks nineteenth in the United States for miles of rails with 3,200 miles across the Commonwealth; and

WHEREAS, every three hours in the United States a person or vehicle is hit by a train; and

WHEREAS, nearly 2,200 highway-rail grade crossing collisions occurred in the United States in 2022, resulting in 274 fatalities and 803 injuries; and

WHEREAS, more than 50% of collisions occur at crossings equipped with lights and/or gates; and

WHEREAS, highway-rail grade crossing collision and pedestrian trespass on tracks together account for over 95% of all railroad fatalities; and

WHEREAS, Federal Railroad Administration statistics rank the Commonwealth of Virginia thirteenth in highway-rail grade crossing collisions in the United States; and

WHEREAS, it is in the public's interest to raise citizens' awareness of the dangers of ignoring safety warnings at level crossing and trespassing on rail property to reduce avoidable deaths, injuries, and damage caused by incidents involving trains and citizens;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Glenn Youngkin, do hereby recognize September 2023, as VIRGINIA RAIL SAFETY MONTH in the COMMONWEALTH OF VIRGINIA and call this observance to the attention of our citizens.

Governor of Virginia

Proclamations