Stay rail safe this Labour Day long weekend

This long weekend, before settling in with friends, ready to watch the Labour Day Classic and devour those platters of wings, nachos and a few cold bevies, take a second to think about just how rail safety will play into the afternoon’s festivities.

Before kickoff, throw out the fact that a train traveling at 120 km/h can take up to the length of 18 football fields to stop. Compare that to a car, traveling at 90 km/h, which only takes 60 metres to stop. Your trivia-loving friends will surely take the bait.

Next: Deliver some hard-hitting train safety facts

By now you have sparked their interest and their need to know more—perfect timing for a game of “Did You Know?”. Reference the Operation Lifesaver FAQs to get the ball rolling.

• In 2011, there were 169 crossing collisions across Canada, 25 fatalities and 21 serious injuries. There were also 67 trespasser incidents, including 46 fatalities and 21 serious injuries.
• A motorist is 40 times more likely to die in a crash involving a train than in a collision involving another motor vehicle.
• There are approximately 73,000 km of railway tracks in Canada.

Test your friends’ rail safety knowledge

Encourage your buddies to take the Operation Lifesaver rail safety quiz. It will only take the time of a commercial break to complete and it's a great tool to test their knowledge. The one buddy who is confident that he/she knows everything might be surprised by the results.

Keeping with the theme of football, and again conveniently the length of a commercial break, load YouTube on your iPhone and check out this football-themed Operation Lifesaver video.

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=miR3e2gkA94[/youtube]

At the end of Labour Day, you can be happy that not only did you kick back with your friends and watch the game, but you also did your part in spreading rail safety awareness in a way that your buddies will appreciate.

This Labour Day long weekend there will be more traffic on the roads, and trains conducting business as usual. Do your part—stay rail safe, don’t drink and drive, and observe and obey all rail signals, signs and crossings.

Look, listen, live!