Kids Website Is Launched Today

    OTTAWA, May 1 /CNW/ - Operation Lifesaver launched a new website for
children today (Friday) to help reduce crossing and trespassing incidents
around trains. The site is accessible in English at www.olkids.ca or French at
www.ogjeunes.ca. Dan Di Tota, national director of Operation Lifesaver, said
it includes stories, games, audio and video clips, posters and safety tips.
    The website launch is part of Operation Lifesaver's Rail Safety Week that
is underway and involves more than 200 municipalities across Canada. The site
features Rover, the Railway Safety Rabbit, and the Train Your Brain activity
book.
    The Rail Safety Week also includes mock collisions, driver education
classes for new motorists, safety blitzes and trespass enforcement initiatives
at several locations across the country. Operation Lifesaver promotes safe
decisions around highway-railway crossings and freight and passenger train
operations. It is sponsored by Transport Canada, the nation's railways and
their partners.
    Crossing collisions dropped to 214 in 2008 from 221 the year earlier.
Trespass incidents were down to 73 last year from 101 in 2007. Crossing
fatalities, 73, were unchanged year over year but trespass fatalities dropped
from 57 in 2007 to 47 last year. Serious injuries at crossings increased from
22 in 2007 to 36 last year but serious injuries from trespassing dropped from
27 the year prior to 20 in 2008.

For further information: Media contacts: Dan Di Tota, Operation
Lifesaver, (613) 564-8094; Roger Cameron, Railway Association of Canada, (613)
564-8097; Sean Rushton, Transport Canada, (613) 991-6031