Safe Kids USA and CN, one of the largest railroads in North America, are working together again on Safe Crossing Week 2009 to encourage parents, teachers, and caregivers to teach elementary school children how to safely cross railroad tracks.
In 2008, 744 people were killed and 1,372 were injured in incidents involving trains in the United States. These incidents involved either trains and people or trains and motor vehicle occupants. In 2008, a total of 22 children ages 14 and under were killed and 122 were injured in incidents involving trains.
Safe Crossing Week 2009 focuses on Teaching Safety for Life. Although parents are responsible for their kids’ safety, children can be little ambassadors for a safer community. Children pass along what they learn to their families and set good examples as role models for one another. If we want to build a culture of safety, it starts with reaching children early so that safe practices and behaviors become second-nature as they grow and develop into safe teens and adults.
This year’s innovative in-school program provides a grade level-specific railroad safety curriculum and activities. Local Safe Kids safety experts, CN Police officers and CN employee volunteers are teaching more than 50,000 students in hundreds of elementary schools and other locations across the United States, making it the largest and most wide-spread Safe Crossing Week in history.
This year, some of the nation’s leading children’s hospitals and children’s museums have come on board to hold special events to further broaden the reach of the program.
To see if your community/school is participating in Safe Crossing Week, contact your local Safe Kids coalition.
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