Rail Safety Week begins next week and runs from September 22nd to the 28th. Operation Lifesaver, Inc. (OLI), whose mission is to end collisions, deaths, and injuries on the rail system, started observing Rail Safety Week in 2017. That year also marked the organizations 45th year in operation. OLI points out that 2100 people annually are killed or seriously injured because of unsafe behavior around tracks and trains. Rachel Maleh, Executive Director of OLI, said,“[the] goal is to get to zero incidents – zero fatalities and zero injuries. The driving force for this organization is saving lives.” According to OLI’s website, Rail Safety Week is a way to raise awareness about rail safety education and help citizens keep themselves safe near highway-rail crossings and railroad rights-of-way. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, Michigan has had 45 casualties from January through June with 8 resulting in a fatality. In St. Clair County, there was just one injury as of the end of June.
