Union Pacific Railroad (UP) and Minnesota Operation Lifesaver organised train rides for 400 people from Mankato to get across rail safety messages concerning level crossing safety and trespass issues. The awareness drive on June 29th, 2011 utilised a train equipped with head-end cameras from which the images captured from a train driver’s perspective were relayed to the train’s passenger accommodation.

(June 30th, 2011)

Due to unforeseen circumstances, Operation Lifesaver Canada has cancelled its Public-Rail Safety Conference, scheduled for September 13th & 14th, 2011.

(June 29th, 2011)

North Dakota Operation Lifesaver (NDOL) has deployed a car, wrecked when it was hit by a train, to communicate the need for motorists to use level crossings properly. The wreck is used state-wide as a key to raising awareness of the risks of misusing level crossings.

The rationale for NDOL’s visit to Williston is the spike in the number of incidents occurring in 2010 which increased state-wide by 40% over the figure recorded in 2009.

For further information visit: www.ndsc.org/operationlifesaver or www.oli.org.

(June 22nd, 2011)

ProRail, the Dutch national rail infrastructure manager has launched a new sign to promote safe behaviours at level crossings. The sign which reads “Wil je blijven leven wacht dan even” means “if you want to live just wait”. The primary audience is pedestrians, particularly students, and therefore the signs are being installed on a targeted basis across the country where misuse is known to occur.

ProRail is providing municipalities with two of the signs with additional signs available at cost. In Groningen, for example, signs are being installed at the Peizerweg, Paterswoldseweg and Esperanto level crossings, all of which are heavily used by young people. The use of these crossings is also subject to random supervision by ProRail’s special investigators (BOAs)

In parallel to the launch of the signs in Groningen they have also been launched in Arnhem, Breda, Rotterdam and Utrecht.

(June 21st, 2011)

New South Wales’ Roads and Ports Minister, Duncan Gay, has told the state parliament that the recent accident on a level crossing in Dubbo highlights the need to continue with safety campaigns to raise public awareness. The Minister added that the incidence of level crossing incidents in New South Wales has, according to the Roads and Traffic Authority, increased.

Against this background the second phase of an awareness campaign targeting rural areas and regional towns is being launched at a cost of AUD 0.170 million.

(June 21st, 2011)

British Transport Police (BTP) and Network Rail joined forces at a number of nationwide level crossing awareness drives as part of International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) on June 9th, 2011.

BTP detected and charged 113 people with level crossing misuse during operations to support ILCAD across the length and breadth of the country.

Chief Superintendent (Territorial Policing) Eamonn Carroll of BTP said: “Our officers and community safety staff from Network Rail handed out thousands of advisory leaflets at crossing across the country and, without exception drivers were extremely supportive of this initiative. These operations will carry on throughout year and we will continue to reinforce the message that crossings can be used safely.

“Sadly, there remains a hard core of drivers that think it is clever to risk not only their own life, but those of others, to save a few seconds. Be assured that anyone detected misusing a crossing anywhere in the country will face prosecution.”

Network Rail also revealed that the first of its purpose-built camera vans, resourced by BTP officers, and utilising state-of-the-art equipment, has led to the prosecution of 1,131 people in the first three-months of operation in the south of England.

(June 16th, 2011)

International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) saw the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway (BNSF), Operation Lifesaver Montana and state and local police officers mount a joint exercise in Great Falls to address level crossing misuse.
Operation Lifesaver’s role was to promote awareness of the rules for the safe use of level crossings which, with leaflets handed-out leaflets to crossing users, before the police led blitz on June 9th, 2011.

The result of the exercise was that 89 motorists received citations for level crossing related offences despite the police presence being overt with flashing lights operating on police vehicles stationed at key level crossings across the city as BNSF ran shuttled locomotives back and forth to raise the number of level crossing closure cycles above that normally experienced in Great Falls.

(June 12th, 2011)

Level crossing safety was on the agenda at the Sarasota Springs public safety day which resumed after a five-year break. The police, emergency services, Operation Lifesaver and others partnered to raise the awareness of children of risks to their safety.

A particular target was children attending the city’s elementary schools and their parents who flocked to the June 12th, 2011 event.

(June 12th, 2011)

The heavily used Station Road level crossing in Rossington, Doncaster has a reputation as a location where motorists are known to flaunt the rules for the safe use of level crossings and recklessly zig-zag around lowering barriers. Additionally, pedestrians regularly misuse the crossing.

With this in mind British Transport Police (BTP) marked the June 9th, 2011 International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) with an exercise to educate motorists and enforce compliance with the law. Despite the BTP officers being highly visible, CCTV camera enforcement vehicle recoded the passage of a motorist who chose to ignore stop lights. Instead, enforcement action is being taken.

Network Rail which funded the camera van deployed in support of the police to get the safety message across to motorists and pedestrians using the level crossing at which 5,000 motorists and 500 pedestrians interact with more than 200 trains a day.

(June 10th, 2011)

On behalf of International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) participants Operation Lifesaver Estonia has produced a montage of CCTV images showing misuse of level crossings.

The video montage can be found at both http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBqQ1SEs-_M&feature=youtu.be and http://www.ilcad.org/spip.php?article8

The 42 second-long video montage concludes with the message “think more before you go”

(June 9th, 2011)

Strong support for the International Awareness Day (ILCAD) was evident in Austria on June 9th, 2011 with Transport Minister, Doris Bures, standing alongside other partners from road and rail committed to tackling risk arising at level crossings. Indeed, the case for action was made when a truck intruded onto a level crossing in Lustenau, Vorarlberg. The accident which occurred at an active barrier equipped level crossing has been attributed to the truck driver failing to observe the red lights and then crashing through a lowered barrier at a location where an ILCAD event was taking place.

In 2010 there were 170 accidents at level crossings and 13 fatalities which the information and awareness campaign launched on ILCAD is designed to counter through changed behaviours of level crossing users.

In addition to launching the awareness campaign, the Minister affirmed the continuing commitment to investing in upgrading level crossings. Indeed, EUR 35 million has been invested in recent years by ÖBB-Infrastruktur AG, the national rail infrastructure manager. Plans call for the upgrading of 1,700 level crossings nationwide over the coming decade.

In terms of awareness, the primary target audience is those living near to level crossings. This is because most accidents involve motorists who are familiar with level crossings and believe that they know enough about them and the times of trains to keep them safe. Patently, this is not the case.

An investment in video surveillance equipment is likely as the two pilot projects appear to be working well. The cameras are installed at level crossings in Eisenstadt and in Allentsteig in Lower Austria with the primary objectives of identifying in detail the characteristics of misuse and those that misuse level crossings on the one hand and controlling speed on the other.

(June 9th, 2011)

French railway authorities were joined by regional and local public authorities marked the International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) with an exercise to raise awareness of level crossing safety in Obernai, Bas-Rhin.

The level crossing at the intersection of Departmental Highway 422 and the railway adjacent to the railway station is equipped with automatic half-barriers. However, it is located close to schools and is used by a lot of young pedestrians as a result. Vehicular use is estimated at 7,500 per day with 55 trains scheduled daily. Thus it was this crossing that was chosen for the awareness raising drive on June 9th, 2011 even though no accidents have been recorded in recent years.

In total, the Alsace region is populated with 486 level crossings of which 281 are in Bas-Rhin and 187 in Haut-Rhin. However, this number is reducing as grade separation and consolidation schemes are progressed.

For example, in Bas-Rhin a study to eliminate level crossing number six in Reichstatt are underway. The project is expected to be completed in 2013 at a cost of more than EUR 7.0 million with regional funding sitting alongside that to be provided by RFF, the French national rail infrastructure manager. Another project is the coordination of traffic lights with those protecting a level crossing in Molsheim.

In Haut-Rhin, closure of level crossing number three in Brunstatt was achieved as part of a wider project in September 2010 at a cost of EUR 15.5. The Haut-Rhin public authority met 55% of the cost with the balance shared equally between the State, the Alsace region and RFF. A study is underway to eliminate level crossing seven in Wintzenheim at an anticipated cost of EUR 7.5 million.

An example of a consolidation project was the upgrading of a passive level crossing in Obernai to an automatic half-barrier status which, in turn, allowed the closure of three nearby passive crossings.

(June 9th, 2011)

With 27 deaths recorded on level crossings in France during 2010 and the time and cost involved in eliminating level crossings, the need to raise public awareness and change behaviours is clearly necessary. This was evident in the Hérault on June 9th, 2011,

International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD). For example, the level crossing on Route De La Gare in Baillargues was targeted, with railway staff from RFF and SNCF working with the police to hand-out leaflets and advice.

Initiatives combining engineered solutions, education and enforcement have broadly halved the number of deaths on level crossings in the past decade. This approach is to be carried forward with RFF, the French national rail infrastructure manager, partnering with other public authorities.

There are 676 level crossings in Languedoc-Roussillon of which the Hérault is a part. Of these 16 are considered particularly dangerous. Addressing these is a priority. However, it is sobering to note that in Languedoc-Roussillon over five years only ten such crossings have been eliminated in projects including associated highway works – for example a by-pass – at a cost of between EUR 7.0 and EUR 20 million.

(June 9th, 2011)

Owners of the Four Star Industrial Park have signed off plans for the further development of the Four Star Industrial Park in Calhoun. Indeed, top of the list is a new bridge over CSX Transportation’s (CSX) tracks which bisect the 800 acres industrial park. The owners of the industrial park believe that they construct the over-bridge for between USD 1.5 and USD 2.0 million. Plans have been forwarded to CSX for their review and approval.

Four Star Industrial Park believes that new occupants will be attracted to the 415 acres presently sitting beyond the railway without a grade separate access. The preferred solution is for Southern Star Way to pass over the CSX right-of-way and connect with Pedler-McDonald Road.

(June 9th, 2011)

British Transport Police officers have been deployed at the Ordnance Road level crossing in Enfield, greater London to mark the International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD). The June 9th, 2011 initiative comes less than a year after there was a fatal accident on the level crossing (LXinfo September 2010). An exercise was also mounted at a level crossing in Northumberland Park, Tottenham, Greater London. The focus of the BTP is making sre that motorists and pedestrians understand what is expected of them when they are confronted by a level crossing.

The ILCAD initiative which is aimed at educating drivers and pedestrians of the dangers of improperly using a level crossing sees parallel day-long activity in more than 40 countries.

(June 9th, 2011)

Members of the Association of American Railroads (AAR) embraced the International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) with vigour on June 9th, 2011.

Speaking on behalf of AAR members AAR President and CEO said: “U.S. railroads operate the safest freight rail transportation system in the world and are honored to share their learning and experiences with the international community as we look to eliminate grade crossing accidents. For railroads, nothing is more important than the safety of our employees and the communities through which we operate.”

“Saving lives knows no borders,” said Helen Sramek, president of Operation Lifesaver. “We are thrilled to join with our colleagues in the international rail safety community in supporting such an important event.”

Major U.S. freight railroads will host ILCAD events across the U.S. ranging from Officer on a Train to public and private crossing sign inspection trips and level crossing closure meetings. Railways in the United States have a strong history of investing to address level crossing risk, ideally through crossing closures. With an annual budget running to several hundred million dollars to address the risks associated with level crossings.

(June 9th, 2011)

Helen Sramek, President, Operation Lifesaver

Ed Hamberger, President & CEO, AAR

The Canadian Pacific Police Service (CPPS) conducted safety and enforcement blitzes and accompany local law enforcement aboard freight trains on June 9th, 2011, the International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD).

"Ignoring signage at railway crossings and trespassing on railway property creates significant unnecessary personal risks, often resulting in fatalities and personal injuries," said Ray Holman, Deputy Chief - U.S. Operations, Canadian Pacific Police Service. "Awareness helps prevent tragic consequences from occurring and creates a safer situation for us all."

In 2010, the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) recorded 2,013 crossing incidents, resulting in 262 fatalities and 836 serious injuries. From 1980 through 2010, the number of grade crossing collisions fell 81%; injuries associated with collisions fell 79%; and fatalities fell 69%. The FRA also recorded 439 trespasser fatalities in 2010, an increase of 5% over 2009. The numbers do not include the many near collisions that take place every year.

The Canadian Pacific Police Service (CPPS) is a railroad police agency. CPPS officers are peace officers as defined by Statute in the 13 states where Canadian Pacific (CP) operates. The CPPS plays an important role in public safety and enforcement in the communities where CP operates. CPPS officers typically promote public safety through trespasser abatement patrols, enforcement of traffic laws at railway crossings and participation in education activities to raise awareness of community safety issues.

(June 9th, 2011)

Operation Lifesaver launched a new on-line campaign to raise truck drivers’ awareness of level crossings to mark the International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD).

Statistics show that approximately 25% of level crossing collisions in the United States involve vehicles that require a Commercial Driver License (CDL) to operate them. To address this issue, Operation Lifesaver has launched a “new video game style online experience that prepares professional drivers for situations theycould face on the road”.

Operation Lifesaver released the interactive on-line learning programme at press conferences in Pennsylvania and five other states across the United States., timed to coincide with ILCAD. Safety partners from trucking, state and local law enforcement agencies, and railway companies are supporting the programme.

“Total highway-rail vehicle incidents and crashes involving CDL vehicles increased in 2010 from 2009,” said Operation Lifesaver President, Helen Sramek.  “As the leader in highway-rail grade crossing safety education, Operation Lifesaver is pleased to offer trucking companies, independent drivers and other organizations the opportunity to use this state of the art safety program designed specifically for professional truck drivers,” Sramek said.  

Trucking industry representatives, law enforcement organizations and railroad companies joined Operation Lifesaver officials at events to launch the Rail Safety Challenge program in Alabama, California, Mississippi, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Texas, Sramek noted.  Other Operation Lifesaver events to mark International Level Crossing Awareness Day were held throughout the week in a further 14 states.

A preview of the Rail Safety for Professional Drivers e-Learning programme is available at http://bit.ly/kcFLL5.  The e-Learning program was made possible by a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration.

The e-Learning programme’s simulated driving environment allows drivers to work independently and exposes them to worst-case scenarios that require quick thinking and critical decision-making.  “Our goal as we launch this new safety program is to ensure that every CDL driver has the information they need to safely cross a highway-rail grade crossing, every single time,” concluded Sramek.

Individual drivers can go on-line to take the rail safety challenge at http://oli.org/e-learning-survey/. There is no charge for individual professional drivers to participate. The course does not capture scores, names or email addresses, only the number of people who complete the challenge. Large companies who wish to incorporate this program into their training should contact Operation Lifesaver at 1-800-537-6224.

(June 9th, 2011)

 

 

Operation Lifesaver Canada has said it is proud to support the International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) on June 9th, 2011 with a strengthened focus on behavioural safety at level crossings. In particular Operation Lifesaver Canada has targeted parents, their children, teachers and emergency responders as part of a more than 40 country event to tackle misuse of level crossings.

Since 1980 the number of level crossing collisions with road vehicles in Canada has fallen dramatically from over 800 annually to approximately 200 in 2010. While this reduction speaks to the success of safety efforts undertaken in that time, there still remains unnecessary loss of life and injury with 79 fatalities and 47 serious injuries occurring in 2010 as a result of crossing collisions and trespassing on rail property.

In raising awareness of the need to act safely at level crossings, Operation Lifesaver ddraws attention to the wide variety of interactive educational materials available for free to the public, including:

• An interactive site for kids, www.olkids.ca, which includes safety pamphlets, Rover the Railway Rabbit cartoons and stories, interactive videos and online activity books
• Safety brochures for specific audiences, including parents, teachers, school bus and truck drivers, commuters, cyclists, emergency responders, and snow mobile and all-terrain vehicle drivers available at www.operationlifesaver.ca
• An interactive, online safety education site for new drivers available at www.traintodrive.net
• Safety-related updates on Twitter (www.twitter.com/oplifesaver) and Facebook (www.facebook.com/oplifesaver)

(June 9th, 2011)

The Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC) has challenged the prevailing levels of user misuse of level crossings in Jos, the Plateau State capital. NRC has said that crossing users who do not respect the rules for the safe use of level crossings will be prosecuted. The endemic impatience of motorists in Jos leads to too many collisions between trains and motor vehicles with risk to life and limb was the central call from the NRC District Manager.

Henceforth anyone whose vehicle hits or is hit by a train will be required to pay a fine of NGN 0.1 million. Additionally the motorist will be liable for the costs of repairing any damage caused to the train. To ensure that fines are paid and restitution made, motorists can expect to have their vehicles are impounded until liabilities are discharged. NRC says that this is not a means of making money.

(June 8th, 2011)

The Arkansas and Midland Railroad sponsored the First Annual Arkansas Operation Lifesaver Fundraiser and Photo Opportunity. Events over the July2nd -3rd, 2011 weekend will include a train show and swap meet with more than 30 vendors, a night-time photo opportunity, a railway memorabilia auction and entertainment at the Arkansas & Missouri Railroad’s depot. Additionally, members of the public were able to tour the locomotive maintenance facility and join a train trip from Springdale to Chester with a track-side lunch at Winslow.

(June 8th, 2011)

Union Pacific Railroad (UP) has published its second annual Sustainability and Citizenship Report highlighting the company's commitment to environmental stewardship, safety, employee training and development, customer and community support, shareholder value and the highest standards of corporate governance and ethics.

Coverage of level crossing issues is integral to the report which records that UP reduced crossing accidents by 34% from 2000 to 2010. The company reiterates its commitment to work with federal, state and local officials to promote safety at level crossings.

Reducing collisions at level grade crossings is a key industry goal. UP draws on Association of American Railroads (AAR) statistics to record that from 1980 through 2010 level crossing collisions fell 81%, injuries fell 79%  and fatalities fell 69% UP commits to working towards improving infrastructure and collaborating with state and local governments and law enforcement personnel to reduce collisions.

The Sustainability and Citizenship report stresses the importance of the UP CARES programme and working with Operation Lifesaver. To quote from the report:

“Caring, collaboration and community” best describe Union Pacific’s public safety efforts, and these traits are embodied in the railroad’s public safety initiative, UP CARES (Union Pacific Crossing Accident Reduction Education and Safety).

Union Pacific engages in safety outreach through community events, media, Union Pacific special agents, employee resource groups and Operation Lifesaver. UP CARES events offer opportunities to interact one-on-one with a range of community stakeholders to communicate key safety messages and change unsafe behavior.

UP CARES events generally encompass several elements:

• Grade crossing education and enforcement, during which motorists who have violated rail crossing signs and laws are educated about the dangers of such actions
• Safety trains that provide local law enforcement, media and public officials with the opportunity to ride in the locomotive cab and see traffic violations from a locomotive engineer’s point of view. This also allows Union Pacific to connect with community leaders and help them better understand the railroad’s safety focus
• Communication blitzes, which educate the public via community events and media outreach. For example, Union Pacific often sponsors sporting events in its communities, communicating safety messages on highly visible signs in sports arenas and on giveaways such as mini footballs or basketballs.

Media outreach coincides with safety trains in Union Pacific communities. Union Pacific helped create and now collaborates with Operation Lifesaver, a non-profit safety education and outreach organization created in 1972 to end collisions, deaths and injuries at intersections of train tracks and roadways and on railroads’ rights of way. Today, Operation Lifesaver is an independent program that works cooperatively with government and private industries to educate the public on the importance of railroad safety.

Union Pacific volunteers discuss the importance of railroad safety with school and community groups. We conducted more than 7,300 UP CARES outreach and training events reaching more than 450,000 people in 2010, compared to more than 6,000 programs reaching more than 378,000 people in local communities in 2009.

The report highlights the success of the North Platte Service Unit, which covers most of the 1,067 miles of track Union Pacific operates in Nebraska, celebrated more than 400 days without a public grade-crossing collision. The Union Pacific Railroad Police teamed up with the Buffalo County Sheriff’s Office to remind motorists of level crossing laws as part of UP CARES initiative.Through this partnership, an officer riding on the train radios an officer positioned near the crossing to issue citations to motorists. The area was chosen by the UP CARES task force because of reports from both Union Pacific employees and local officials of repeated violations by motorists

(June 1st, 2011)