There are approximately 42,000 km of railway tracks across Canada, and nearly 25,000 places where tracks meet roadways—each one an opportunity for incidents to happen. Because it only takes a moment of distraction, or a simple error in judgment, for a collision to occur. And when it’s you versus a train, there is no room for error.
Sadly, the number of incidents at railway crossings is on the rise. Even though the total number of railway incidents was down 15 per cent in the first half of 2024, those at crossings were up 11 per cent. And every one of these could have been prevented.
Sharing stories of loss to save lives
One of the ways Operation Lifesaver (OL) Canada is trying to curb the rise of crossing incidents is through our #STOPTrackTragedies campaign. It features the personal stories of those affected by railway crossing and trespassing incidents, including victims, friends and family, locomotive engineers and first responders. The 19 heart-wrenching videos show the rippling effects of a rail tragedy—and each serves as a reminder of why it’s so critical for each of us to do our part to stay rail-safe.
As part of
Rail Safety Week 2024, OL launched two new videos, including the
story of railway police officer Charlie Mathewson. In the video, he shares his experience arriving on the scene after a 19-year-old man was killed when the car he was driving was struck by a train. The young man had driven around an active railway crossing on his way to work early one morning. It’s a morning Charlie will never forget—and that changed the lives of the young man’s loved ones forever.
Charlie’s video is a reminder of the lasting effects these incidents have on first responders. Because when tragedy strikes, it is often police officers like Charlie who are first on the scene—and who have the heart-breaking job of telling a victim’s family that their loved one will never be coming home.
Charlie’s story, and the others featured in the #StopTrackTragedies campaign, remind us that there’s no ‘Undo’ button when it comes to an incident with a train. No number of minutes shaved off a commute or text sent while driving are worth the heartache that these videos reveal.
Working with communities to prevent crossing incidents
There is no question that railway crossing safety is a serious concern in communities big and small, from coast to coast. OL is working with municipalities across the country to try to prevent incidents through our
Look. Listen. Live. Community Safety Partnership Program.
The program provides cities and towns with
Look. Listen. Live. metal signs and pavement decals to increase awareness, improve safety and save lives. Municipalities install the bright yellow-and-black decals on the pavement near high-risk railway crossings to help alert pedestrians, cyclists and motorists of the need for caution around railway crossings.
Since the first decal was installed in Vancouver back in 2018, more than 100 other communities have gotten behind the initiative—with hundreds of decals and signs installed across Canada this year alone.
Getting towns and cities involved in rail safety
Ottawa is the latest city to improve rail safety in their community through the
Look. Listen. Live. program. As part of this year’s
Rail Safety Week, OL partnered with
Safer Roads Ottawa to hold a decal-unveiling event in the Ottawa suburb of Barrhaven. Two
Look. Listen. Live. decals were installed on a multi-use pathway that crosses the VIA Rail line near the intersection of Fallowfield Road and Ottawa’s Transitway. These decals will serve as a constant reminder to cyclists, pedestrians and drivers of the need for caution when crossing the tracks.
In June, OL also took part in the Federation of Canadian Municipality’s 2024 Annual Conference. As Canada’s largest gathering of elected officials, it was an unparalleled chance to promote the importance of community rail safety with the record number of municipal representatives who attended. We had some great conversations with elected officials and we’re hoping that many of them will sign up to get their communities involved in the
Look. Listen. Live. Program in the years to come.
Want your community to join the growing list of municipalities across Canada who have installed
Look. Listen. Live. decals in high-risk areas? You can get more information on our website about how to order decals for your community.
Providing resources Canadians need to stay safe
OL’s website offers a wealth of other resources for Canadians and communities to use to learn about and promote rail safety.
Our
Train to Drive videos allow drivers to make choices in real time around virtual railway tracks and trains—without putting their own safety at risk. The VR training videos are aimed at all drivers, but we have also produced several specifically for bus and truck drivers, agricultural workers and first responders. You can experience all of our
Train to Drive videos by visiting TraintoDrive.ca and clicking the appropriate video link. Because whether you’re a new driver or do it for a living, everyone can a use a little refresher on rail safety.
Our signs and devices quiz is also another good place to start to ensure you know how to stay safe around tracks and trains. Because keeping yourself safe around railway tracks is all about staying alert and knowing the rules. So take a few minutes to brush up on your rail safety knowledge—it could save a life.