(Source: Operation Lifesaver press release, April 27, 2020)
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Mexico will join the U.S. and Canada in observing Rail Safety Week this year from September 21-27. Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), Operation Lifesaver Canada and the Asociación Mexicana de Ferrocarriles (Mexican Association of Railroads, or AMF) will support the public awareness initiative to encourage drivers and pedestrians to practice safe behavior near railroad tracks.
Every year more than 2,100 North Americans are killed or seriously injured because of unsafe behavior around tracks and trains. Operation Lifesaver, with programs in the U.S. and Canada, works to prevent these incidents.
“Rail Safety Week has grown each year. Last year’s event raised awareness with millions of people across North America on the importance of safe behavior near tracks and trains, in support of OLI’s mission to save lives,” said Operation Lifesaver, Inc. Executive Director Rachel Maleh.
“Our 2020 Rail Safety Week efforts will be led by state coordinators across the U.S. to highlight crossing safety and rail trespass prevention in high-incident areas,” Maleh says. “We’re excited to coordinate with Operation Lifesaver Canada and now, the AMF, through events, social media, news media outreach and paid marketing efforts.”
Maleh also announced that digital and downloadable versions of a report detailing results of the U.S. 2019 Rail Safety Week efforts are now available.
“In Mexico, our campaign on grade-crossing incident prevention, ‘Cuidado con el Tren,’ or ‘Train, watch out’ is ongoing,” said Iker de Luisa, AMF Director General. “As part of our relationship with OLI that started in 2014 with a Memorandum of Understanding, the AMF is pleased to join the 2020 observance of Rail Safety Week to elevate rail safety awareness throughout North America.”
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. Sarah Mayes, National Director of Operation Lifesaver Canada, notes that the campaign will remain a major theme of Rail Safety Week.
“The #STOPTrackTragedies videos underscore the heartbreaking reality that families, friends, rail employees, first responders and communities face in the aftermath of crossing and trespassing incidents,” said Mayes. “These incidents are entirely preventable — if people know how to act safely around tracks and trains.”
Law enforcement partnerships will again be an important focus during Rail Safety Week.
Amtrak Police Chief Neil Trugman stated, “Law enforcement partnerships are a critical component of Rail Safety Week each year, building relationships between law enforcement officers and the public. Law enforcement agencies provide needed rail safety information in communities, reminding citizens to be cautious near crossings, and not to trespass along the tracks.”
More information about Rail Safety Week 2020 is available on the Operation Lifesaver, Inc. website. To find out about local Rail Safety Week efforts, contact your Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator.
Watch the powerful #STOPTrackTragedies videos from 2018 and 2019 on the Operation Lifesaver Website or at stoptracktragedies.ca.