Nationwide, there were 2,772 highway-rail crossing accidents in 2007, 2,409 in 2008, and 1,896 in 2009 resulting in a total of 873 deaths, according to the Federal Railroad Administration.
States facing an August 2011 deadline to adopt rail-crossing safety plans are Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Ohio and Texas.
The states either have large populations or a large number of railroad crossings or in some cases both.
Florida ranks ninth with 231 grade-crossing accidents between 2007 and 2009.
(The preceding report by Michael Turnbell was published July 22, 2010, by the Sun-Sentinel.)
