Opelika man dies in crash when his tractor-trailer got stuck at a railroad crossing
An Opelika man died Tuesday morning when his tractor-trailer got stuck at a railroad crossing and a CSX Train struck his vehicle.
The train hit the 2016 Mack tractor-trailer that Yancey Stephens, 54, was driving at about 7:50 a.m. Tuesday. First responders pronounced him dead at the scene. The accident was at the railroad crossing on Lee County 61 near Alabama 14, about five miles west of Auburn, in Lee County, said Sgt. Jeremy Burkett of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Highway Patrol Division, in an email.
Authorities said Lee County 61 will be closed "for an extended period while the tractor-trailer is removed from the tracks," Burkett said in the email.
The agency did not immediately provide any other information about the crash.
The crash happened on a day in which ALEA was working to promote railroad crossing safety as part of a Rail Safety Week campaign.
ALEA said in a separate statement issued Tuesday morning that state Troopers would be at railroad crossings and other locations throughout the day to educate drivers, pedestrians and cyclists to reinforce the importance of crossing and trespass laws.
Troopers will also be sharing rail safety messages on social media throughout Rail Safety Week, which began Monday and ends Sunday. This year's campaign includes a "Train to Drive" video that allows users to make real-time safety decisions, Burkett said in an email.
“The virtual driver training program is a great online tool provided by Operation Lifesaver that gives everyone a chance to get in the drivers seat and make real-time decisions, while also safely displaying the devastating consequences of the wrong decision,” Agency Secretary Hal Taylor said in the email.
Tips for safe driving include waiting and looking both ways, crossing safe and legally, ensuring vehicles are not stopped in the middles of a grade crossing and staying alert.
“Unfortunately, a person or vehicle is hit by a train every three hours in the United States," Agency Secretary Hal Taylor said in the email. "Many of the first responders across our state have responded to these tragic incidents and fully understand the lasting impact these events have on a family as well as the community. We encourage everyone to join our agency in this national initiative and practice railroad safety not only during Rail Safety Week 2023, but every day of the year.”
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Alex Gladden is the Montgomery Advertiser's public safety reporter. She can be reached at agladden@gannett.com or on Twitter @gladlyalex.
This article originally appeared on Montgomery Advertiser: Opelika man dies when train hits tractor-trailer at railroad crossing
