Law enforcement will be warning, and in some cases ticketing, drivers and pedestrians who violate rail safety laws at select crossings in the Los Angeles area next week.
Metrolink has partnered with Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Metrolink Bureau and the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department as part of a safety enforcement operation taking place Tuesday.
Authorities will be stationed at select railroad crossings throughout Metrolink’s system, contacting drivers and pedestrians who violate railroad safety laws and put themselves and others at risk.
It’s part of a state- and nationwide law enforcement initiative called Operation Clear Tracks, which aims to reduce the number of railway crossing and trespassing incidents in both Canada and the U.S.
Officials say those incidents injure or kill more than 2,100 people every year.
September is Rail Safety Month in California and Southern California’s regional passenger rail service is hoping to inform the public about the dangers of railroad trespassing and pedestrian strikes that happen all too often across the state.
Metrolink did not say how many crossings will have a law enforcement presence, or how long people can expect to see deputies in the area. Metrolink’s service area spans more than 545 miles across six counties in Southern California.
The law enforcement operation will also coincide with See Tracks? Think Train Week, which is an annual education campaign to promote rail safety.
A rail safety event will also take place at Los Angeles Union Station the weekend prior to Tuesday’s operation.
The public is invited to visit Union Station to see modern and historic trains up close, which organizers say they hope will provide a better understanding about the raw power and size of train technology.
For more information about California Rail Safety Month, click here.