Hop on The Safety Train

In 2020, nearly 30 traffic crashes involved vehicles and trains in Nebraska. according to police.  What you might not know is these incidents are all too common.

In fact, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates a person or vehicle is hit by a train about every three hours. Nearly 1,000 lives are lost every year in these crashes, and more than half occur at crossings with lights and/or gates. You can help prevent these tragedies by providing education and rail-safety training to your employees.

First, make plans to attend our free online training session Wednesday, Aug. 24. Register now to attend Railroad Safety: Eliminating Unsafe Behaviors Near Railroad Crossings and Tracks. Buck Russell, senior supervisor of public safety at Union Pacific Railroad, will discuss proper railroad crossing and trespasser prevention. He also will highlight at-risk behaviors and suggest ways to change those behaviors.

The timing of this session couldn’t be any better; National Rail Safety Week is Sept. 19-25.

• Get materials to support your safety efforts from the Operation Lifesaver digital library
• Use our free Safety Huddle sheet to lead a brief safety talk at your location
• Print and display this vintage safety poster from the National Safety Council: Just Drive

Set up the conversation like this: You can stop. Trains can’t. Well, we know that’s not exactly true. They can stop. It just will take an average freight train traveling 55 mph about the length of 18 football fields to come to a complete stop. By comparison, an average automobile traveling at the same speed can stop in about 200 feet.

• Watch and share this safety video from NHTSA: The Long Mile.

Rewrite the narrative so the next time you read about your friends or neighbors in the news the story is about a personal triumph, not a horrible crash.