Over 2,100 people in North America are killed or seriously injured because of unsafe behavior on or near railroad tracks. This week is Rail Safety Week. The goal of Rail Safety Week is to raise awareness of the need for rail safety education and empower the general public to keep themselves safe near highway-rail grade crossings and railroad rights-of-way. A centerpiece of Rail Safety Week since 2018 is the #STOPTrackTragedies campaign, which features videos telling the stories of people affected by rail crossing and trespassing incidents. That will be especially important this year – due to COVID-19, Rail Safety Week activities in states across the U.S. will have an emphasis on social media and virtual safety messaging. This year, Rail Safety Week is also being recognized in Canada and Mexico. While the number of highway-rail crossing collisions, deaths and injuries has dropped over the past five decades, it’s still a startling fact that about every three hours in the U.S., a person or vehicle is hit by a train. Current Federal Railroad Administration data shows that highway-rail grade crossing collisions and pedestrian trespass on tracks together account for over 95% of all railroad fatalities. For more information on Rail Safety Week visit the Operation Lifesaver website.
