First national event aimed at raising
awareness about rail safety
HOMEWOOD, IL, Sept. 25, 2017 /PRNewswire/ - As part of its
year-round effort to save lives, CN (TSX: CNR) (NYSE: CNI) is
pleased to participate in the first U.S. National Rail Safety Week,
a week long series of events aimed at raising awareness and
promoting safe behaviour around railroads.
Last year, in the United
States, 2,025 rail grade crossing collisions resulted in 798
personal injuries and were responsible for 265 fatalities. During
that same period, 994 trespassing incidents occurred resulting in
483 pedestrians being injured and 511 killed while trespassing on
the railroad property rights-of-way.
"Too many people die while trespassing on railway property and
those fatalities are entirely preventable," said Stephen Covey, Chief of police and Chief
Security officer at CN. "These tragedies can be avoided by staying
off railway tracks and by simply obeying crossing signals."
During Rail Safety Week, CN Police Service (CNPS) will be out in
communities raising awareness of the potentially devastating
consequences of trespassing on railway tracks and disregarding
railway safety signs and devices at level crossings.
CN Police officers will have custom virtual reality viewers to
demonstrate 360° rail safety videos to the public. Visitors to CN's
Rail Safety Pledge website can view the videos on a desktop, laptop
or mobile device, and visitors with access to any Google Cardboard
viewer can experience this immersive virtual reality
environment.
CN is encouraging the public to take the Rail Safety Pledge
online which they can easily share with their Facebook friends and
Twitter followers.
The Rail Safety Pledge asks people to share rail safety tips in
their community, talk about rail safety at their local schools, or
report unsafe behaviour around trains or railway property.
"Rail safety is everyone's responsibility," said Covey. "By
looking out for each other and working together, we can help keep
our communities safe and prevent fatalities and injuries on or near
railway property. Together we can save lives and help bring
crossing and trespassing accidents down to zero."
Get rail safety tips, take the Rail Safety Pledge, and live the
360° rail safety experience on your computer or mobile device at:
www.mysafetypledge.com.
CN has been promoting railway safety for more than 25 years
through its All Aboard for Safety community education
program. Every year, CN employees make hundreds of All Aboard
for Safety presentations and talk to more than 300,000 children
and adults at schools and community events in Canada and the
United States about the importance of safety and the dangers
of walking or playing on or near railway tracks.
About CNPS
Every year, CN Police Service responds to
hundreds of events along CN's network across eight Canadian
provinces and 16 U.S. states. In addition to patrolling CN
property, CNPS officers deliver rail safety presentations to
schools, trucking agencies, bus operators and community
organizations. By rolling out strategic educational initiatives and
conducting targeted operations, CNPS aims to promote safe
behaviours and increase awareness of rail safety. CNPS is committed
to making CN the safest railroad in North
America.
SOURCE CN