around trains staying safe - parachute canada · around trains staying safe ... they learned, any...
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Around TrainsStaying Safe
LEARNING OBJECTIVES: Studentswill: •Analyzebehavioursthatleadtorailwayinjuries. •Analyzerailwaylegislationasitrelatestoprotectionfrominjuries.
LENGTH OF LESSON:45-60minutes
TEACHING ACTIVITIES:Reviewattachedinformationonrailwaylawsandenforcement.
Trespassingis: •Walking,playingorrunningonorbesiderailwaytracks. •Drivingabike,acar,anATV,asnowmobileoranyothervehicleonorbeside
railway tracks. • Taking a shortcut across railway tracks or railway property. •Enteringrailwayyardsatanytime.
Usetheinformationtoorganizeadebate:“Trespassersonrailwaytracksandpropertyshouldbechargedandreceivelargefines.”Assigntwodebatingteams.Onesidetodebateeachside.
ReviewTheRailwayLawsandEnforcementFactSheet(foundonpage30).Askthestudentstodofurtherresearchtoprepareforthedebate.
STUDENT ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION:Afterthedebate,havestudentswriteajournalentrythattellswhatnewinformationtheylearned,anypersonalconnectionstheyhavetothetopic,andwhatpersonalpositiontheytookinthedebateandwhy.
Grades 6Health and Life Skills
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Around TrainsStaying Safe
FOLLOW-UP ACTIVITIES:
LINK TO HOME:DistributetheSafeCrossingWeeklettertoparents/guardiansandtheSafety at Railway Crossings parenttipsheettothestudents.
Encouragethestudentstotalktotheirparents/guardiansabouthowtobesafeatrailwaycrossingsandaroundtracks.Whatsafetyrulewillyouremembertotell?
1)Invitealocalrailwaypoliceofficerintoyourclassroom to talk about how they enforce safetyaroundrailwaytracksandproperty.
2)ProvidetheStayingSafeAroundTrains:Statements(Part2)SafetyTips(frompage21)onaworksheet.
3)Fillintheclass’orschool’snameintheSafe Crossing Weekcertificateandhangitonthewall.
4)Linktolessononpedestriansafety.Remindstudentsthatwhentheycrossattherailwaycrossingtheyshouldlookleft,lookright,andlookleftagain.Justthesameasiftheywere crossing a street. When one train passes, another train may come in the same oroppositedirection.
Grades 6Health and Life Skills
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Around TrainsStaying Safe
RESOURCES:www.parachutecanada.org–Railsafetyeducation.
www.cn.ca–CNisoneofthelargestfreightrailroadsinNorthAmerica.Formorethan25years, through its program All Aboard for Safety,CNPoliceofficersspeakannuallytomorethan300,000childrenandadultsabouttheimportanceofsafetyatrailwaycrossingsandthedangerofwalkingandplaying on or near railway tracks.
www.operationlifesaver.ca–Railsafetyeducationforeducators,students,parents,anddrivers.
IfyouwouldliketoinviteaCNPoliceofficer tocometoyourclassroom,pleasecontact:
British Columbia – [email protected] Alberta – [email protected] Saskatchewan – [email protected] Manitoba – [email protected] Ontario – [email protected] Quebec – [email protected] New Brunswick – [email protected] Nova Scotia – [email protected]
SAFETY RULES• Always cross at a railway crossing.
Most crossings have a sign, lights,
bells, and/or gates.
• Just like crossing the street –
stop and look both ways before
crossing train tracks. Listen for
the train coming and for warning
bells. If there are lights, watch for
them to flash.
• If a train is going by, stand at least
5 metres or 16 feet (that’s about 10
giant steps) back from the tracks.
• Never try to cross the tracks
if a train is coming. It is too
dangerous.
• If a train goes by, look both ways
again before crossing. Make sure
another train is not coming. Many
crossings have more than one track,
which means there could be more
than one train at the same time.
• Always walk your bike across the
tracks to make sure your tires do
not get caught.
• Never play on or near train tracks.
It is dangerous and illegal.
Injuries are the number one cause of death and disability
among children and youth in Canada.
Safety at Railway Crossings
This rail safety resource will help
parents and caregivers teach their
children how to be safe around trains,
tracks and at railway crossings.
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THE SITUATIONEach year, on average, close to 100
people are killed and about 75
seriously injured in collisions with
trains. The collisions are either
between trains and motor vehicles
or trains and people.
According to statistics, young
men, aged 18-24 years old, are
most likely to be injured or killed
either in a crossing collision or a
trespassing incident.
WHYAs with other types of injuries,
the reasons for the collisions vary.
Anecdotal information tells part of
the story for children and youth.
Sometimes they wait for one train
to pass and are hit by another
train coming from either direction.
Sometimes they climb over a
stationary train into the path of
an oncoming train or fall as they
are climbing on it and it begins to
move. Sometimes they just simply
are unaware that a train is coming
as they walk on or beside the
tracks. These causes tell us that
these incidents are preventable.
Just as you teach your children
how to navigate through traffic,
children must be taught the rules
for staying safe around trains and
at railway crossings.
Each year, on average, close to
100 people are killed and
about 75 seriously injured
in collisions with trains.
Research tells us that up to
90 per cent of injuries are
predictable, therefore,
most railway injuries and
deaths can be prevented.
“Safety at Railway Crossings – A Parent Tip Sheet” for children to take home
Grades 6Health and Life Skills
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Around TrainsStaying SafeRAILWAY LAWS AND ENFORCEMENTFACT SHEET
Railwaytracksareprivateproperty.Itisbothillegalanddangeroustobeonornearanyrailwaytracks.Children,students,andadultssometimesusethetraintracksasashortcuttogotoschoolortothestoreoruseitasahangoutwithfriends.Thetruthisyouarenotallowedtodoanyofthesethings–youaretrespassing! Trespassing means going ontosomeoneelse’sprivatepropertywithouttheirpermission–anditisagainstthelaw!
So,iftraintracksareprivatepropertyandyouarenotallowedtobeonornearthetracks,howshouldyoucrossthetrackstogettotheotherside?Highway-railwaylevelcrossings(wheretheroadmeetstherail)aretheonlylocationswhereanyoneisallowedto cross the tracks. At these locations, there are warning devices,suchassigns,flashingredlights,aringingbell,andbarrierarmsthatgoupanddown.Somelevelcrossingsmayonlyhavestopsignsorevenjustcross buck signs. There are pavement markings, suchasabigwhite“X”andtwothickwhitelinesthatarepaintedontheroadwayalongwith yellow advanced warning signsthatindicatetherearetraintracksupaheadandtoproceedwithcaution.
Whenthesewarningdevicesactivate,itmeansthatatrainisapproachingandthatyoumuststop.Whetheryouarewalking,ridingyourbikeordrivinginmomordad’scar,youmuststop,waitforthetraintogobyand,moreimportantly,waitforthewarningdevicestocompletelyshutoffbeforeyouproceedacrossthetraintracks.Beforecrossing,you must look both ways to make sure another train is not coming from the same or the otherdirection.
Crossingtraintracksatanylocation,otherthanatthedesignatedlevelcrossings,isdangerous.
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Around TrainsStaying Safe
TRESPASS TO PROPERTY ACT AND RAILWAY SAFETY ACT
The Trespass to Property ActandtheRailway Safety Actgiverailwaypoliceofficersandotherpolicingagenciestherighttochargeanyonewho:•Enterspremiseswhenentryisprohibited,•Engagesinprohibitedactivityonpremises;and/or•Failstoleavetherailway’spropertywhentoldtodosobyapoliceofficer.
The Railway Safety Actstates:“Nopersonshall,withoutlawfulexcuse,enteronlandonwhichalineworkissituated.”Line workmeansrailwaytracks,switchesand/orsignalsandbuildingsthatareonrailwayproperty.Amonetarycharge(fine)orasummonstoappearincourt(dependingontheseverityoftheincident)maybegiventothetrespasserasaresultofthepoliceofficersfindings.
Thepurposeofenforcingtheselawsistoensurethatchildren,studentsandadultsarefullyawareofthepotentialdangersassociatedwithtraintracks.Theselawshelpreduceinjuriesandtheneedlesslossoflifeaswellasensurethesafeoperationofalltrainsandmechanicaldevicesandtheworkinrailwayyards.
Trainscannotstopquickly.Itcantakemorethan10footballfieldsormorethan1kilometretocometoacompletestopwhentravelingat100km/h.
Locomotivesdonothavesteeringwheels.Anengineercannotswervethetrainoutofthewaytoavoidatrespasserorvehiclethatisonthetracks.
Remember: Atraincanapproachfromeitherdirectiononanytrackatanytime.
Crossingtraintracksanywhereotherthanatadesignatedlevelcrossingistrespassing. Itisnotonlyagainstthelaw,butextremelydangerous!
IS THE TIME YOU SAVE WORTH YOUR LIFE?
ANY TIME IS TRAIN TIME!