Driver’s tests may include questions on train safety
By Lee Davidson
The Salt Lake Tribune
First published Feb 21 2013 10:48AM
The Senate on Thursday endorsed a call for including questions about safety around trains on driver license tests for new drivers.
It voted unanimously to pass SJR8, and sent it to the House.
Sen. Karen Mayne, D-West Valley City, a former member of the board of the Utah Transit Authority, said too many accidents have been occurring in recent years around TRAX, the FrontRunner commuter rail and other trains — so it is worth requiring new drivers to study rules for train crossings, and rules of behavior around train stations.
"We hope to build a culture of safety," she said.
In 2011 and 2012, UTA reported a total of 45 major incidents with TRAX and FrontRunner, including 13 fatalities and 26 injuries. Nineteen of those accidents were trains hitting cars.
