|
|
ROAD / RAILWAY GRADE CROSSING FACTS
- Transport Canada has a permanent safety inspection program to monitor
grade crossings and compliance with standards under the Railway Safety
Act, and to identify areas for improvement.
- The Transport Canada grade crossings improvement program contributes
approximately $7.5 million over the course of each year to improve safety at
grade 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 crossings fatalities have
decreased over the last 10 years, accidents at grade crossings still account
for almost half of the railway-related deaths and injuries each year. For
this reason, improving safety at grade crossings remains one of Transport Canada’s
top priorities.
- There were 237 grade crossings 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 crossings collisions and trespassing incidents by 50 per cent
by the year 2006.
May 2006
|