Operation Lifesaver, Inc., the national non-profit rail safety education organization celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2022, is releasing new rail safety resources to help farmers and farm machine operators stay safe and avoid incidents around railroad tracks and trains. Across the U.S., farm vehicles often cross railroad tracks on private roads in agricultural areas. According to preliminary 2020 Federal Railroad Administration statistics, 325 crossing collisions comprising 17 percent of total incidents occurred at private railroad crossings, resulting in 22 fatalities and 111 injuries. The new OLI materials are available in English and Spanish and include rail safety education presentations, lesson plans and handout materials for students. OLI Executive Director Rachel Maleh says the materials “provide actionable advice to farm communities on how to work safely near railroad tracks and trains.” The rail safety education materials for youth were developed with input from members of national youth development programs 4 H and the National FFA Organization. The new materials are available at oli.org.
