RAILWAY CROSSING FACTS

• Transport Canada has a permanent safety inspection program to monitor railway crossings and compliance with standards under the Railway Safety Act, and to identify areas for improvement.
• The Transport Canada grade crossing improvement program contributes approximately $7.5 million over the course of each year to improve safety at rail crossings across Canada. Funding decisions are based on pre-established regional accident and serious injury criteria over a five-year period, and funding is allocated to various regions at different times of the year.
• Although rail-related accident rates and crossing fatalities have decreased over the last 10 years, accidents at crossings still account for almost half of the railway-related deaths and injuries each year. For this reason, improving safety at rail crossings remains one of Transport Canada’s top priorities.
• There were 237 crossing accidents across Canada in 2004. These accidents resulted in a total of 25 fatalities and 50 serious injuries.
• Passenger trains travel at speeds of up to 160 km/h and freight trains can reach 105 km/h.
• It can take a train more than one 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.
• In addition to funding up to 80 per cent of improvements to eligible crossings, Transport Canada works with the Railway Association of Canada on Operation Lifesaver, a public education program.
• Transport Canada also participates in Direction 2006, a partnership among all levels of government, railway companies and unions with a goal of reducing grade crossing collisions and trespassing incidents by 50 per cent by the year 2006.

June 2005