BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — Residents petition for safer rail roads. With a recent death from an Amtrak train, residents are signing a petition for change. I went to talk to the community to see how this is impacting them.
For the second time in three months, another person was hit by an Amtrak train in Shafter.
The latest incident happened Saturday afternoon around 1:45. Police say an Amtrak train traveling from Oakland to Bakersfield hit and killed someone that was trespassing at the crossing near Central Valley Highway and Central Avenue.
Now there's a petition drive circulating calling for safer rail crossings, including a proposed bridge in the area. But some residents are skeptical.
Juan Vieyra, Shafter resident, said, "I don't see what good would come from building a bridge. It's going to cost someone, and most likely, it'll be us—Shafter residents—paying for it through higher taxes."
The name of the person who was killed has not yet been released. According to Operation Lifesaver, California leads the nation in rail-related deaths—with 893 collisions and 103 fatalities last year alone. One local resident, who asked to remain anonymous, believes the issue is deeper than infrastructure.
This resident said, "What if someone jumps off the bridge? It doesn't fix the problem. I think it's more about mental health and parenting. Kids need to be educated about the dangers."
Juan Vieyra agrees—saying the solution starts at home.
This is the third fatal incident in the same area, two of which involved high school students. As a father of a 7-year-old, he's already taking steps to teach responsibility early.
Juan Vera said, "She's restricted with her phone use. She doesn't always have access, and she's not allowed to use it at the table. It's monitored."
As the community debates solutions, one thing is clear—something needs to change to prevent more lives from being lost.
