Make railway trespassing part of today's Pink Shirt Day discussion

Today is Pink Shirt Day in Canada, a day dedicated to bringing awareness to and eliminating bullying.

You might wonder what this has to do with rail safety. Here’s the reality: young people have been killed or injured while trespassing on railway property with friends.

So today, take the time to include rail safety and peer pressure in your conversations about bullying. Make a pledge to keep your friends and loved ones off the tracks.

Remind them that saying no to trespassing on the tracks for any reason (including, taking a shortcut, hanging out on a railway bridge, climbing on cars or anything else) could save their life.

Empower them with the knowledge and confidence to educate their peers on the dangers of railway trespassing.

Let them know that the simple act of saying no can be a lifesaver. 

And make it clear that pressuring someone to go onto railway property is illegal and risks the lives of everyone involved.

To get the conversation started, here are three videos that illustrate the dangers of trespassing on the tracks:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y97jO1I-ahE&list=UUwAuTzlVv9BjJyVH-0FwWXA&index=7[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GBMLZIsaQ34&list=UUwAuTzlVv9BjJyVH-0FwWXA&index=6[/youtube]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-mGxfdxNch0&list=UUwAuTzlVv9BjJyVH-0FwWXA&index=41[/youtube]

Always remember: LOOK, LISTEN, LIVE!