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Young
Canadians risk their lives on
the tracks
Results
of a poll just released by the Railway Association of Canada show that the
majority of young Canadians risk injury or death by walking on railway
tracks despite being aware of the danger of moving trains.
The nation-wide Ipsos-Reid
Internet poll shows that practically all young Canadians (94 per
cent) know that it is dangerous to walk or play on railway tracks, yet
over half (51 per cent) say they have taken that risk. One in five (21 per
cent) think it's okay as long as they don't see or hear a train coming.
Last year, 56 people were seriously injured and 86 people killed in
railway crossing collisions and trespassing incidents across Canada.
Twenty-six per cent of the trespassing injuries involved young Canadians.
Almost six in ten young Canadians (58 per cent) live or go to school
within a 20-minute walk of railway tracks, and many of them take short
cuts across the tracks.
For more information on rail safety, visit the Direction
2006 site.
Quick facts that could save your life......
- Walking on railway tracks and railway property is trespassing.
- A train is a metre wider than the rails on each side.
- Passenger trains travel up to 160 km/h and freight trains
105 km/h.
- It can take a train over a minute to come to a complete stop. For
example, in perfect weather, an 88-car freight train weighing
13,000 tonnes and travelling 96 km/h would cover about two
kilometres before stopping.
- The train you see is closer and moving faster than you think. Do not
be fooled by the optical illusion. If you see a train approaching,
wait for it to go by before you proceed across the tracks.
- ALWAYS EXPECT A TRAIN! Freight trains do not follow set schedules.
- Cell phones, loud music and headphones can keep you from hearing a
train. And environmental conditions can muffle sounds, bells, whistles
and other train noises.
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