September 21, 2020 – The Illinois State Police are joining with law enforcement agencies in the United States and Canada to promote “Operation Clear Track”, which is the largest rail-safety law-enforcement initiative in North America. The initiative is coordinated by Amtrak, Operation Lifesaver Inc and Operation Lifesaver Canada. Operation Clear Track’s purpose is to reduce the number of railway crossing and trespassing incidents in the United States and Canada. More than 2,100 people are seriously injured or killed each year from railway and trespassing incidents. The event will be held during the annual observance of Rail Safety Week, which is September 21st-27th.
ISP District 9 Commander, Captain J.W. Price stated, “It can take more than a mile for a train to make a complete stop, but it is easy for a vehicle to stop. Please do your part to avoid a senseless tragedy. Always stop, look, and listen before crossing. Never ignore signals or try to drive around a lowering gate.”
Law enforcement agencies will be participating in a virtual Operation Clear Track due to the pandemic. Police and sheriff departments will help to promote rail safety via social media by sharing Operation Lifesaver’s #STOPTrackTragedies public service announcements and will also post other rail safety information to their websites.
If you would like more information about Rail Safety Week, Operation Clear Track, and other rail-safety initiatives and tips, please visit www.oli.org.
