Metrolink Matters September is Rail Safety Month in California, and September 20-26, 2020 is Rail Safety Week across the nation. Rail safety is a team effort. We are doing our part to decrease rail-related accidents and save lives through education outreach and enforcement efforts.
Every three hours in the U.S. there is an incident involving a train and a person or vehicle. These incidents happen too often and are preventable. First and foremost, we remind all riders and pedestrians to be aware of their surroundings by looking both ways when at a rail crossing.
To help mitigate incidents we are partnering with OLI, member agencies, law enforcement and other rail operators to encourage positive behavior around train tracks and crossings.
Since safety is at the heart of Metrolink’s daily operations, our dedication to provide safe and reliable service goes beyond the month of September. Visit www.metrolinktrains.com/safety to learn more about our various initiatives.
To encourage safe behavior near tracks and to reduce incidents across our rail system, we ask everyone to join us and do their part to share safety tips and be “track smart” by LOOKING BOTH WAYS!
Below are some safety tips everyone should keep in mind while near a train track:
- Red lights indicate a train is approaching from either direction. Never walk around or behind lowered gates at a crossing and do not cross the tracks until the lights have stopped flashing.
- Stay alert around railroad tracks. Don’t text or use headphones, and do avoid other distractions that would prevent you from hearing an approaching train.
- Lives are at stake. Vehicles at train crossings and pedestrians walking on tracks account for 95 percent of all rail-related deaths. Almost all of these deaths are preventable. Don’t become a statistic. Be aware of railroad tracks and crossing gates when walking or driving.
- More than 50 percent of people who die while walking on railroad tracks have alcohol or drugs in their system. Always make responsible decisions with your safety in mind.
- By the time a locomotive engineer sees a person or vehicle on the tracks it’s too late. It takes the average train traveling at 55 mph more than a mile to stop. Don’t try to beat a train. They are approaching faster than it seems.
