AASHTO Journal - Operation Lifesaver Launches New Railroad Safety Efforts

To help the homeless be safer around railroad tracks, as well as provide children with more information regarding railroad safety, Operation Lifesaver Inc. is launching to new outreach campaigns.

The first targets individuals experiencing homelessness with information aimed at helping them make safe choices around railroad tracks and trains. To that end, OLI said its Respect the Rails: Choose Safety campaign includes an image-driven poster highlighting positive and adverse choices around railroad tracks and trains as well as a brochure for service providers and volunteers with safety tips and information for them to share.

“Our goal is to educate and empower individuals experiencing homelessness to make safe choices for themselves around tracks and trains,” said Rachel Maleh, OLI’s executive director, in a statement.

The national non-profit added that these new safety materials can be downloaded from the OLI website, with materials in Spanish becoming available March 1.

Concurrently, OLI has also released its first interactive online educational game to help kids make safe choices around railroad tracks and trains. Designed for children aged seven through 10, the Train Safety Savvy game is free to play and covers general safety messages, railroad signs, signals, and trespass prevention information.

OLI said children access the game via its “For Kids” webpage and that the game allows players to choose one of four different characters and take virtual train trips to different destinations around the United States. Players help their character complete the trip by answering questions and responding to interactive challenges.

“About every three hours in the United States, a person or vehicle is hit by a train,” noted Moriah Whiteman, OLI’s education manager, in a separate statement. “Our new online Train Safety Savvy game is designed to engage children while providing lifesaving messages and reinforcing safe behaviors around railroad tracks and trains that they can share with their siblings, friends and parents.”