CALGARY, Sept. 24, 2017 /CNW/ - School is back in session
across Canada and the Canadian
Pacific Police Service (CPPS), through a new safety program called
CP RailSense, is reminding students, parents and caregivers that
the safe route to school does not include trespassing on railway
property.
The consequences of trespassing on railway tracks and attempting
to beat trains at level crossings can be tragic and fatal, but they
are also preventable. From September
24-30, CPPS will be conducting its annual "Back to School
Rail Safety Campaign" across Canada. Officers will be paying extra
attention to public railway crossings and railway rights-of-way in
and around school zones.
"Education is critical to preventing tragedies on the tracks,"
said Canadian Pacific Police Service Chief and Operation Lifesaver
board member, Ken Marchant. "The CP
RailSense program, through education and targeted communications
and outreach, asks you to be situationally aware around the
railway. Any shortcut to school that involves railway rights-of-way
is unsafe. We aim to create safe navigation habits with children at
a young age, and reinforce this message as students grow into
adulthood and tend to take more risks."
It is illegal and incredibly dangerous to walk on railway tracks
or cross at any location other than a designated crossing. Sadly,
there are a large number of fatalities and serious incidents
involving trespassers and trains each year.
"No matter what age, parents want their children to come home
safely every day, and we want the same thing. That's why it's so
important that parents, teachers, caregivers and peers discuss this
important issue," Marchant said.
According to Transportation Safety Board statistics, across
Canada in 2016 the number of
trespasser incidents increased dramatically to 69 in 2016 from 50
in 2015 – a 38 percent increase, resulting in 46 deaths. That
number doesn't include the many near misses that occur every day.
In addition, there were 133 vehicle/train incidents in Canada in 2016; 19 resulted in fatalities.
The goal of CP RailSense is simple: encourage safe behaviour
around tracks and trains, and eliminate injuries and fatalities. To
learn more about CP RailSense and to start your journey to becoming
a rail safety ambassador, visit www.cpr.ca/railsense.
Note to editors:
Interviews with CPPS members are available by request. Rail
safety tweets, b-roll, and photos available
on www.cpr.ca.
About Canadian Pacific
Canadian Pacific is a
transcontinental railway in Canada
and the United States with direct
links to eight major ports, including Vancouver and Montreal, providing North American customers a
competitive rail service with access to key markets in every corner
of the globe. CP is growing with its customers, offering a suite of
freight transportation services, logistics solutions and supply
chain expertise. Visit cpr.ca to see the rail advantages of CP.
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SOURCE Canadian Pacific