Institutions across transport sector start cooperation on preventive safety campaign on railway

“We would all like to live in an ideal world where accidents do not happen. Unfortunately, we cannot eliminate them completely, but we have to try. At the same time, we must remember that railway is a specific mode of transport and the consequences of such incidents are often fatal”, stated Minister of Transport Martin Kupka.

Last year, a total of 453 accidents with health consequences occurred on the railway and 238 people succumbed to their injuries. The available data show that disregard for the rules by pedestrians and drivers dominates among the causes of collisions with trains. Statistics also show that the number of injuries to people under the age of 26 is the highest in the last 5 years.

“I am very pleased that we have managed to agree on a common approach on our initiative within the railway area. Thanks to the investments, the operational safety is being successfully improved in the long term. Effective public education is essential if we are to succeed in significant reducing the number of injuries on the railway,” says Director General of Správa železnic Jiří Svoboda.

“Unfortunately, a collision between a train and a car or a person is not uncommon. We must work together to ensure that there are as few such cases as possible. When a collision with a person occurs, a human life is lost, often due to unnecessary inattention or underestimation of the situation. People in cars and on trains are at risk in collisions at level crossings. Trucks in particular are a dangerous weapon in this respect. Last year, 17 people, including our employees, were injured in accidents at level crossings. We believe that the campaign makes sense and will serve its purpose,” says Michal Krapinec, Chairman of the Board of Directors and Director General of ČD.

The first phase of the campaign will run on social networks and is primarily aimed at children and young people. It will present the online holiday ten commandments, i.e. the basic rules of caution when moving on the railway, in an engaging way. In this respect, it will build on activities already underway, such as the Safe Rail Prevention Train. According to the memorandum, cooperation will continue in the autumn, with the second phase culminating in a national media campaign.

“We have been working together for a long time to reduce risks and increase safety on the railway. In addition to the modifications of lines, railway vehicles and other measures that are systematically implemented, the basic prerequisite for preventing injuries is caution and respect for people when moving in the area or close vicinity of the railway,” says Jiří Kolář, Director of Drážní úřad.

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