Septa Urges Commuters To Be Careful Near Bus, Rail Facilities

By Justin Udo

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Septa today was hosting its second annual Safety Awareness Day.

This year, the event puts a focus on the dangers of distracted commuting.

Septa general manager Joe Casey says that during the morning and afternoon rush hours today, more than 500 Septa employees and City Year Corps volunteers are handing out educational material to passengers about distracted commuting.

"Sadly, transit accidents and fatalities involving distracted individuals are a national problem," Casey (at lectern in photo) said at the Frankford Terminal.  "This is especially unfortunate because a majority of these incidents are avoidable."

Scott Sauer, Septa's director of system safety, says that every month over the last year they have responded to people falling on train tracks because they were walking while not paying attention.

"If you must make that important phone call or send that critical text message, have a seat," Sauer urged. "We have benches on every platform -- places for you to safely sit and go through your device."

In addition to the reading material on commuter safety, Septa has a video on safe riding, starring the Phillie Phanatic.

In:
• SEPTA
• KYW Newsradio 1060
• Community
• Philadelphia