Operation Lifesaver debuts safety message on International Level Crossing Awareness Day

Operation Lifesaver Inc. today released a new video public service announcement highlighting the dangers of grade crossings.

In the video, an oncoming car flattens an empty beverage can, after which the following message appears on the screen: "A train crushes your car with equal force."



"The video demonstrates in a very compelling way the potential danger that drivers face at highway-rail grade crossings and the tremendous force of a train hitting a car on the tracks," said OLI President and Chief Executive Officer Joyce Rose in a statement.

The video's release coincides with International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD), which is aimed at raising awareness about grade crossing dangers among cyclists, pedestrians and other road users, according to a press release from the Association of American Railroads (AAR).

Today, U.S. freight railroads are joining with public safety organizations in more than 20 states to bring attention to grade crossing safety and awareness, AAR officials said.

More than 40 countries have come together to promote rail crossing safety for the ILCAD Campaign, which was first established in 2009 by the railroad community, various highway organizations, the European Commission and the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe.

"Although the grade crossing collision rate has fallen 35 percent since 2000, that is not low enough and much more public awareness and education needs to be done," said AAR President and CEO Edward Hamberger. "Programs like International Level Crossing Awareness Day bring the industry closer to the goal of zero grade crossing fatalities."