Trespassing incidents spike in November
Canadians continue to lose their lives as a result of trespassing on federally-regulated railway tracks and property. Six people were killed in trespassing incidents in November 2023, and another two were seriously injured. That’s more than double the average number of November incidents over the past five years.
The tragic part is that behind each and every one of these statistics are real people—and every incident could be prevented.
Sharing stories of tragedies to save lives
Finding ways to stop these incidents from occurring is Operation Lifesaver’s mission. Through initiatives such as #StopTrackTragedies, we try to educate Canadians about the consequences of taking risks around tracks and trains. The campaign’s videos tell the tragic stories of young lives cut unnecessarily short—young people like Dylan Ford, Tiffany Williams, and Tristan Morrissette-Perkins.
- Dylan: On Hallowe’en night in 2010, the 18-year-old was doing graffiti with some friends in a railway tunnel under Montreal’s Turcot interchange. The friends didn’t see or hear a passenger train coming down the tracks, and Dylan and two other boys were struck and killed in the incident.
- Tiffany: In October 2014, the 16-year-old was hit and killed by a train while walking home along the tracks in Maple Ridge, B.C. She didn’t hear the train’s warning whistle because she was wearing headphones.
- Tristan: In July 2017, 16-year-old Tristan Morrissette-Perkins was struck and killed by a passenger train near Cornwall, Ont. He didn’t hear the train approaching because he was taking pictures on the tracks with his cousin and a friend. The other two boys were able to get off the tracks in time. Tristan was not.
Don’t make the same mistakes that Dylan, Tiffany, and Tristan made. Help us #STOPTrackTragedies: take the time to review and heed the simple rail-safety tips on our
website, and share them with the people you love. It could save their life.
Wishing you a happy, healthy, and rail-safe holiday season.