Crashes between trains and vehicles in Wood County have fallen by more than 50 percent in the last
five years, according to the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio.From 2009 to 2013, vehicle-train crashes
totaled 13 in the county, down from 29 between 2004 and 2008. The agency credits the improvement to nearly
50 railroad-crossing upgrades in Wood County during the same five-year period since 2009.Ohio is a major
crossroads for the railroad industry, PUCO stated in a news release. Thousands of trains operate on nearly
5,300 miles of track and 5,800 public crossings, making Ohio the fifth-leading state in goods transported by
rail.Despite significant gains in crossing safety, more than half of vehicle-train crashes in Ohio still
occur at grade crossings that have active warning devices. To improve public awareness, PUCO works in
conjunction with organizations like the Ohio Rail Development Commission and Operation Lifesaver to
highlight the importance of crossing safety.For more information contact PUCO at (800)-686-7826 or visit
www.PUCO.ohio.gov. The Ohio Rail Hotline at (866)-814-7245 also provides toll-free resources.