The Sentinel

Stay off the tracks: Pedestrian-railway accidents soar 35% in the past five years

Photographer walking down the tracks in the country

Railroads are private property. People on the tracks for whatever purpose are considered trespassers. According to the U.S. Department of Transportion it "is illegal to access private railroad property anywhere other than a designated pedestrian or roadway crossing. Trespassers are most often pedestrians who walk across or along railroad tracks as a shortcut to another destination. Some trespassers are loitering; engaged in recreational activities such as jogging, taking pictures, hunting, fishing, bicycling or operating recreational off-highway vehicles (ROVs)."

Photo: Redd F/Unsplash

by Mark Richardson
Illinois News Connection

There has been a 35% increase nationwide in the number of trespassing collisions on railroads.

CHICAGO - Illinois ranks third in the nation for collisions at railroad crossings, and safety experts urged pedestrians and motorists to follow some basic rules to avoid tragedy.

Data from Operation Lifesaver showed overall, the incidents are much less common than they used to be but the number in Illinois is growing.

Buck Russel, manager of public safety for Union Pacific Railroad, said since 2018, there has been a 35% increase nationwide in the number of trespassing collisions on railroads. He explained railroads are private property, so people on the tracks are considered trespassers, not pedestrians.

"It's not a place to take wedding pictures, graduation pictures, record albums," Russel stressed. "They have that nostalgia feeling, the train tracks; you know, they continue on forever into the sunset. But when you get on the train tracks, you're exhibiting those bad behaviors that our little ones are going to pick up on."

Interstate Commerce Commission statistics for 2021 indicate Illinois had 124 collisions between trains and motor vehicles or pedestrians at highway-rail crossings. Twenty-one people were killed and another 30 seriously injured. The state ranks fifth for trespassing casualties.

Illinois has more than 7,300 miles of track, with 7,500 public and almost 4,000 private rail crossings. Russel noted a recent report by the Safe Kids Worldwide campaign found a majority of parents do not realize the importance of addressing railroad safety, despite the statistics. Whether it is a railroad crossing or a collision on the tracks, he said nearly all incidents are preventable.

"Approximately every three hours, either a person or a vehicle is struck in the United States," Russel pointed out. "I know personally, when I pass it on to my family members, they're just like, 'There is just no way it can be every three hours.' And it, unfortunately, really does come down to that."

Russel said most of the collision incidents take place between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Last month, the Biden administration announced it has allocated more than more than $1.4 billion to improve railway safety.

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Atkins Tennis Center to host juniors doubles tournament

Sohum Gurrapu lines up a shot while competing in the Atkins Junior Championship in August. The University of Illinois tennis facility will host another tournament later this month for 18U and 14U junior tennis players. Photo: PhotoNews Media/Clark Brooks

URBANA - After hosting a successful event in August, Atkins Tennis Center will host another junior competition on October 29. The Atkins Junior Spooktober Doublesfest will guarantee three matches for competing doubles pairs.

The Atkins Junior Championships, run by Larry Magalasin, was so successful that he was excited about hosting future events for local youth tennis stars.

"It was very competitive for the top juniors here in town and gave the younger juniors a chance to experience their first tournament," Magalasin said. "They also got to enjoy the sport of tennis with their friends and family."

The Doublesfest is designed to give junior players, 18 and under, more competitive match experience that will help them in UTR, USTA, and high school competitions. Each pairing is guaranteed three matches at the one-day event. Tournament action will begin at 9am on Sunday.

Players can register as partners online at https://atkins.clubautomation.com/ for either the 18 and under or the 14 and under division. Individual players looking for a partner can have one assigned from a pool of available players by the tournament director. The entry fee is $30 per player.

For more information, contact tournament director Larry Magalasin at larrym3@illinois.edu

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A few things you might want to know about fentanyl and treatment

Photo provided

StatePoint Media - The overwhelming majority of opioid overdose deaths are due to illicitly manufactured fentanyl. Here’s what physicians at the American Medical Association (AMA) want you to know as the drug overdose and death epidemic continues to devastate communities nationwide:

• Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a treatable, chronic disease: Two-thirds of U.S. adults say either they or a family member have been addicted to alcohol or drugs, experienced homelessness due to addiction, or experienced a drug overdose leading to an emergency room visit, hospitalization or death, according to a KFF Tracking Poll. “Despite their prevalence, drug use disorders are the most stigmatized health conditions worldwide, impacting treatment and policy, and even individuals’ willingness to seek treatment,” says Bobby Mukkamala, MD, chair of the AMA Substance Use and Pain Care Task Force.

• Prescriptions are down, overdoses are up: The 2022 AMA Overdose Epidemic Report shows a 46.4% decrease in opioid prescribing nationwide in the past decade, in large part due to physician efforts to ensure appropriate prescribing, but also state laws and health insurer and pharmacy policies that deny opioid therapy to patients, even those that need it. Nevertheless, the nation’s drug overdose and death epidemic continues to worsen. According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in the 12-month period that ended in February 2023, more than 105,000 people died from fatal overdoses that were primarily driven by synthetic opioids, like illicit fentanyl.

• Deaths are preventable: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data indicates that nearly 40% of all overdose deaths occur with a bystander present. For this reason, increasing the availability of opioid-related overdose-reversal medications will save lives. Thanks to advocacy from the AMA and other public health leaders, the FDA approved the first-ever over-the-counter naloxone product, and now pharmacies, supermarkets, convenience stores and gas stations are able to sell this safe, effective treatment. The AMA is urging retailers to price the medication responsibly and stock naloxone in prominent places. The AMA continues to urge health insurance companies to cover opioid overdose reversal medications at low- or no-cost.

• Preparation saves lives: Consider having naloxone or another overdose reversal medication on hand in case you witness someone overdosing. If you come across someone slumped over and showing signs of possible overdose, an overdose reversal medication is as easy to use as inserting it into the person’s nose and depressing the plunger. Don’t hesitate -- whether they’ve taken fentanyl or not, there’s no downside to giving naloxone when an overdose is suspected.

• Young people are dying: Among 14-18-year-olds, overdose deaths increased 94% from 2019 to 2020 and 20% from 2020 to 2021, according to the CDC. Physicians urge parents to talk to their children about alcohol, drugs and other substances.

“Making opioid overdose reversal medications widely available in educational settings can save young lives,” says Dr. Mukkamala.

The AMA urges schools and universities to stock the medications and let students know it’s available if necessary.

• Treatment works: Opioid use disorder is a treatable, chronic disease that can help individuals lead long, productive lives.

“Having an opioid use disorder requires medical help just like any other chronic disease,” says Dr. Mukkamala, who advises checking with your primary care provider if you have concerns or questions about how to get help. You also will need to talk with your insurance provider about coverage requirements and restrictions, which continue to be a barrier for many with an OUD.

• Risk can be reduced: If you receive opioid therapy or have an acute injury, talk with your physicians about the expected level of pain and optimal strategies for pain control. Safely and securely store your medications and remove unused and unwanted opioids and other medications from your home.

“We have to be honest that in order to truly reverse the overdose epidemic, much more work will need to be done to reduce stigmas and increase access to life-saving drugs,” says Dr. Mukkamala. “There is a way forward, and it requires a cooperative effort from all of us.”

More work needed to keep young people out of criminal justice system

by Eric Galatas
Illinois News Connection

Recent brain studies showing youths do not fully understand the consequences of their actions until age 25.

CHICAGO - Advocates for juvenile justice reform recently gathered in Chicago to find ways to keep young people out of the criminal justice system.

Herschella Conyers, board chair of the Juvenile Justice Initiative, said part of the work needs to happen in schools. If schools were transformed into welcoming neighborhood activity centers, open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Conyers believes children would see better educational outcomes and stay out of trouble.

"I know that's bold, I know that costs tax dollars," Conyers acknowledged. "But God, aren't we spending tons of money already for the wrong things that have not worked? And the cost of incarcerating a child is not a small cost."

In 2020, Gov. Pritzker announced plans to transform the state's juvenile justice system in four years, by moving incarcerated youth out of adult facilities, increasing wraparound supports and intervention, and boosting financial support for victims. But groups advocating for juvenile justice reform said the work is far from complete.

Joshua Brooks, restorative justice hubs coordinator for the Institute on Public Safety and Social Justice at Adler University, said the work of bringing offenders, victims and community members together to repair harm done is the number one intervention communities want. But young people need to be fully reintegrated into communities, or they just end up back on the streets.

"Restorative justice has been known to reduce recidivism," Brooks noted. "That's true, it does. But also, if a person who exits out the criminal justice system gets a job, and is employed, that reduces recidivism too."

Scott Main, assistant director of the Illinois Juvenile Defender Resource Center, pointed to recent brain studies showing youths do not fully understand the consequences of their actions until age 25. He pointed to states like Vermont, where they are not willing to put juveniles in adult court until they have reached full maturity.

"We should look to Washington D.C. and California that has second-look legislation, looking at sentencing for individuals up to the age of 25," Main urged. "Illinois hasn't done enough, we need to keep pushing forward."

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