An investigation by The Kansas City Star and three of its reporters, Judy L. Thomas, Laura Bauer, and former Star reporter Kevin Hardy, has received the 2023 Casey Feldman Award for Transportation Safety Reporting. The investigation focused on the dangers of railroad crossings and found that 46% of deadly collisions at these crossings occur in rural areas or small towns, where many crossings lack flashing lights and gates. The report also highlighted the reliance of railroads on government funding for safety upgrades [d281faad].
The Casey Feldman Award for Transportation Safety Reporting is named after Casey Feldman, a journalism student who was killed by a distracted driver in 2009. The award recognizes outstanding journalism that raises awareness about transportation safety issues. The New York Times and reporters Peter Eavis, Mark Walker, and Niraj Chokshi received an honorable mention for their story on staffing issues at Norfolk Southern and declining safety ratings [d281faad].