Tennessee recognizes Rail Safety Week with statewide video campaign

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn (CLARKSVILLENOW) – Every year, 2,100 North Americans are killed or seriously injured due to unsafe behavior around tracks and trains. Tennessee Operation Lifesaver, Operation Lifesaver Inc. and Operation Lifesaver Canada are joining forces this week to observe Rail Safety Week in North America. As part of Rail Safety week, the organizations are releasing a series of videos in their ongoing public awareness campaign aimed at saving lives near railroad tracks.

The campaign, called #STOPTrackTragedies, features seven videos, each telling the personal stories of people affected by rail crossing or trespassing incidents, including victims, friends and family members, locomotive engineers, and first responders. One video will be released each day through social media during Rail Safety Week, and the full campaign can be viewed at stoptracktragedies.ca and oli.org.

In 2018, 76 Tennesseans were killed or injured in grade crossing and trespassing incidents. Operation Lifesaver – which operates in the U.S. and Canada – works to prevent these needless incidents from happening.

“Our goal with #STOPTrackTragedies is to show that making an unsafe decision around tracks and trains – whether it’s to play on railway equipment, use tracks as a shortcut, or even glance at your cellphone at a crossing – can have devastating consequences for you, your loved ones and members of your community,” said Sarah Mayes, National Director of Operation Lifesaver Canada.

In Tennessee and across the U.S., activities and messaging will take place each day during Rail Safety Week, including:

• Wednesday, September 25 will focus on Crossing Safety, including outreach to professional drivers and drivers of garbage, cement and dump trucks, with the message that truck-train incidents can have devastating effects on families and communities. The importance of the emergency notification system (ENS) sign at crossings also will be highlighted.
• Thursday, September 26 will be Transit Safety Thursday, with events at transit, light rail and commuter rail stations and materials on how to stay safe as a rail commuter or transit rider.
• Friday, September 27 will focus on Trespass Prevention, with events and information shared in communities, including “Red Out for Rail Safety” events at schools and in workplaces.
• Saturday, September 28 will celebrate Pedestrian/Bicycle Safety, with safety blitzes, sidewalk chalk events and other awareness activities to educate pedestrians and bicyclists about the dangers posed by trespassing on tracks, and how they can stay safe.