The North County Transit District’s (NCTD) Board of Directors voted to adopt September as Rail Safety Month. California continues to have one of the highest numbers of trespassing and rail related deaths in the nation. In 2022 alone, there were 256 rail incidents in the state, of which, 97 resulted in injury and 159 were fatal. All of these incidents could have been avoided by following rail safety practices.
“The safety of our riders and the communities we serve is our highest priority and it is our goal to have zero track incidents,” said Jewel Edson, Solana Beach councilmember and NCTD board chair. “We hope that by providing important reminders to our riders and the community, especially during Rail Safety Month, they will remember to always be cautious, alert and adhere to Rail Rules.”
Throughout September, NCTD will be delivering essential Rail Rules messages through a variety of channels, including social media, videos and educational materials provided to schools and distributed to agency partners to reach as much of the community as possible. Materials will emphasize the importance of being distraction free, obeying all safety signals and avoiding risky behaviors when near railroad tracks.
