SKIP on track with rail safety crusade

In 2011, there were 236 accidents at railway crossings and in trespassing incidents, resulting in 70 fatalities and 42 serious injuries, according to the Transportation Safety Board.

Trespassing resulted in 45 fatalities last year, a 10-per-cent decrease compared to 2010. In 2011, 99 per cent of trespassing incidents resulted in either fatalities or serious injuries.

Those were the hard facts detailed by the Sudbury Kids Injury Prevention (SKIP) Coalition and learned by numerous high school students April 30 at the 2012 Rock N' Rail Crusade, an event that highlights the SMARTRISK No Regrets Live Program. According to SKIP, the program is a powerful, internationally recognized event that promotes awareness of the consequences of risk. 

It is designed specifically for teenagers to penetrate their natural resistance to safety in order to give them straightforward, practical ways to reduce the likelihood of injury.

It's held in conjunction with Rail Safety Week, and CN Police are appealing to all students to help reduce the rising number of trespassing incidents and fatalities.

CN Police Const. Ryan Deane, a SKIP committee member, said anyone found trespassing on train tracks can face charges under the Trespass to Property act. It takes 18 football fields to stop a train going 120 km per hour.

The event also included an appearance from Melissa Hague from Peterborough who is with SMARTRISK NO Regrets Live Program. Hague survived a car crash at the age of 12 caused by a drunk driver. 

She lost her mother as a result of the crash and due to Hague's injuries, she has been in a wheelchair ever since.

During the event, students were entertained by local secondary school musical bands, Evolutionary from Confederation High School and Groupe ‘17’ from École Macdonald-Cartier.

For more information, visit SMARTRISK NO Regrets Live to view a video and see what it’s all about.

Information on the provincial statistics can be found on the Transportation Safety Board website at www.tsb.gc.ca.

Posted by Arron Pickard