The deaths of NOW FIVE pedestrians on railroad tracks since May first are prompting officials and safety advocates to raise awareness of the dangers of risky behavior around the track. The Federal Railroad Administration says the deaths since late May mark the greatest total in St. Joseph County in any year since 2012. Nationally, the number of deadly railroad accidents has risen from 405 in 2011 to just over 500 last year. Railroad officials and safety advocates say most, if not all, of the deadly accidents can be traced to illegal trespassing on railroad property. Indiana law makes trespassing on railroad property a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.
