Lloydminster joins rail-safety operation aimed at reducing preventable railway deaths, injuries

Lloydminster, AB/SK – The City of Lloydminster is proud to join forces with law enforcement agencies across North America on Tuesday, September 19, 2023, for “Operation Clear Track”— North America's single largest rail-safety law-enforcement initiative. 

Co-ordinated by Amtrak, Operation Lifesaver Inc. and Operation Lifesaver Canada, Operation Clear Track aims to reduce railway crossing and trespassing incidents in Canada and the U.S. — incidents which seriously injure or kill more than 2,100 people each year. The event is held annually during Rail Safety Week (September 18-24, 2023).

Hundreds of police and sheriff departments across North America have signed up for Operation Clear Track this year; they’ll be promoting rail safety by enforcing rail crossing and trespassing laws, distributing rail-safety tip sheets to drivers, pedestrians and cyclists, sharing Operation Lifesaver’s #STOPTrackTragedies videos and social media messages, and by posting rail-safety content to their department websites. 

For more information about Operation Clear Track, Rail Safety Week and other rail-safety initiatives and tips, visit OperationLifeSaver.ca.

Don’t be a Statistic

Help Operation Lifesaver #STOPTrackTragedies by learning—and following—these simple rail safety rules:

• Stay off railway tracks, trestles, and equipment. You could be seriously injured or even killed in these locations. They’re also private property, and trespassers can be fined.
• Stay alert. Take your headphones off and put your phone away when approaching or crossing railway tracks.
• Keep your distance. Trains overhang the tracks by a metre on each side and can carry loads that may extend even further. If you’re next to the tracks, you could be hit.
• Look for another train before crossing the tracks. Only use designated rail crossings; don’t cross the tracks immediately after a train passes. Wait until all signals have stopped, and any gates have been raised, and ensure you can see clearly in both directions before crossing.
• Be aware that trains don’t follow set schedules. Trains travel up to 160 km/h and can come at any time, from either direction, on any track.
• Never assume a rail line is abandoned. You might never see a train on a particular section of track, but that doesn’t mean it’s abandoned. Often, tracks can be deactivated and reactivated so that trains can appear on once-quiet tracks at any time.

Quotes

“Ignoring railway signs and signals, being distracted at rail stations or crossings, or using tracks as a shortcut or a recreational path can have tragic consequences. Operation Clear Track’s goal is to encourage people to think twice before engaging in unsafe behaviours and to learn how to keep themselves safe around tracks and trains.”

Sarah Mayes, National Director, Operation Lifesaver Canada

Quick Facts

• More than 2,100 people are injured or killed annually in crossing and trespassing incidents in North America. (Source: Operation Life Saver Inc.)
• More than 60% of collisions occur at crossings equipped with lights and/or gates. (Source: Operation Life Saver Inc.)
• Over the past decade, more than 85% of all rail-related deaths and injuries in Canada occurred as a result of motor collisions at railway crossings or trespassing on railway property. (Source: Operation Life Saver Canada)
• In Canada, 24 people lost their lives from January to July 2023, and 6 people were seriously injured due to trespassing on railway lines. During the same period, two deaths and four serious injuries were reported at railway crossings. (Source: Operation Life Saver Canada)