Barrington organizer wants rail crossing guards hired after high school student killed

BARRINGTON, Ill. (WLS) -- Barrington parents have been turning their pain into action to protect the safety of their children at busy train crossings following the death of a 17-year-old Barrington student at the end of January.

Roma Khan is the founder of the Barrington Student Safety Organization, a group of parents who say they are working together to help students cross busy train tracks across the village.

The volunteers wear bright pink safety vests for visibility and are staged at seven different train crossings each morning and afternoon.

Khan said the group was formed following the death of Marin Lacson, who was hit by a train early in the morning at the intersection of Route 59 and Main Street on Jan. 25.

The organizer said she wants the village to hire crossing guards to help students cross the tracks before and after school.

"I started demanding, why we don't have train crossing guards? And I started volunteering. I invited the community, the parents and the response was overwhelming. When I started the group on Sunday, we had about 30 people and by Monday night, we had almost 200 people," Khan said.

The village of Barrington told ABC7 they are increasing the presence of police officers at rail crossings, and are adding additional signs and pavement markers.

The village also said it has asked state agencies to support pedestrian crossing gates at some track intersections, in addition to partnering with School District 220 for discussing rail safety education with students.

Khan said she wants the village to do more to support student rail safety.