Amtrak Grade Crossing Video Honored
The video titled "Cheating Death" was developed in response to grade-crossing fatalities in Lakeland, Fla.
A video from Amtrak to warn teen drivers about highway-rail grade crossing dangers has won two awards for creative excellence, the passenger railroad announced July 13. The video "Cheating Death" was developed in response to grade-crossing fatalities in Lakeland, Fla.
It received two Silver Communicator Awards from The International Academy of Visual Arts and two Bronze Telly Awards in the categories of Public Safety and Video Editing. Amtrak said the video "is produced in a style that captures the attention of a younger audience by incorporating fast paced editing techniques, music, re-enactments, actual news footage and natural sound to deliver the key messaging. The film includes interviews with police, medical professionals and family members of teenagers who died as a result of not obeying crossing signals. At 12 minutes in length, the film is a grim reminder of the importance of railroad safety." A six-minute version is posted on the Amtrak YouTube channel.
"Cheating Death" will be used as a training tool internally for Amtrak personnel and externally for state driver's education associations, school groups, civic organizations, and transit agencies. More than 1,100 copies have been distributed to Operation Lifesaver, an organization with the mission of preventing railroad-related deaths and injuries.
The video was produced by the Amtrak Police Department, Donnabrant Productions, and DogHouse Media.