A national organization is reminding everyone to be aware of safety around railway tracks. It's Rail Safety Week, which is being recognized across the province, including local Councils. Both Portage City Council and North Norfolk Council passed resolutions to recognize the week earlier this month. Operation Lifesaver is working to promote the message of railway safety, and National Director Mike Regimbal says their message is especially important in a community like Portage.

"I used to work onboard the trains many years ago, and you have two high density main lines, CN and CP. I would tell the citizens of Portage and surrounding area to always remain vigilant, and situationally aware. When approaching any crossing make sure you're aware there's a crossing there, and be prepared to stop. We always say any time is train time."

Mike Regimbal

He notes they not only focus on vehicular safety during the week, but also pedestrian safety. Regimbal says trespassing on rail lines can often lead to tragic consequences. Last year, Canada saw a total of 164 crossing accidents, and 53 involving pedestrians. He says while the numbers in Manitoba are slightly better, there's always room for improvement.

"In Manitoba there were 19 crossing accidents. That's up a couple from the previous year. There was one trespassing incident in 2015. That's a good number, but unfortunately that resulted in a fatality, and in the 19 crossing accidents there was one fatality and a couple of serious injuries."

Regimbal feels all these incidents could have been prevented. He notes distracted driving often plays a role in these incidents, and reminds all residents to pay attention to the road and be aware of railway crossings.