highlighting public awareness of pedestrian safety with "Don't Walk
That Line," a billboard and television PSA (public service
advertising) campaign to remind people of the dangers posed by tracks
and trains. The campaign, supported by the North Carolina Department
of Transportation, sends a clear message: trespassing on train tracks
is illegal and deadly.
"We are launching this campaign because North Carolina continues to
rank among the top 10 states in pedestrian-train incidents nationwide,
with 17 deaths and 19 injuries last year alone," says North Carolina
Operation Lifesaver State Coordinator Vivian Speight-Bridges.
The billboards show train tracks and include taglines like "There's a
fine line between taking a shortcut - and having your trip cut short."
Three safety messages, including a Spanish-language version, will be
rotated on billboards over the next nine months in the Rocky Mount,
Raleigh, Greensboro and Charlotte areas.
The billboards include a website, dontwalkthatline.org, with safety
tips and contact information. More features will be added to the
website in coming months.
The television PSA, targeted at hunters to warn of the dangers of
hunting near train tracks, will air on the ION network in Greensboro
starting this week. In addition, the North Carolina Wildlife Resources
Commission will make the television PSA available to hundreds of
certified hunter safety instructors throughout the state.
About Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver is a national, non-profit safety education group
whose goal is to eliminate deaths and injuries at railroad crossings
and along railroad rights of way. There are programs in all 50 states
and the District of Columbia, with trained and certified presenters
who give free safety talks to community groups, schools, school bus
drivers, truck drivers and community organizations to raise awareness
of the need for caution around railroad tracks and trains. More
information, including safety tips and how to schedule a free safety
presentation can be found at www.oli.org.
Track Safety Tips
1. Tracks, train tunnels, trestles, rail yards and equipment are
private property. If you walk, hunt, fish or ride your ATV on the
tracks, you are trespassing and can be legally prosecuted.
2. The only safe place to cross railroad tracks is at a public
crossing. Anywhere other than a public crossing, stay off and away
from the tracks.
3. Don't talk on a cell phone, text, or use MP3 players when you're
near train tracks. Trains are quieter than you think, go faster than
they appear, and do not run on set schedules.
4. Freight trains do not travel on a predictable schedule and
passenger train schedules frequently change. Always expect a train at
every highway-rail intersection, in either direction.
5. Because of their size and weight, trains can't stop quickly - a
100-car freight train traveling at 55 mph will need more than a mile
to stop.
