Trespass Awareness Day

About

Trespass and suicides events on or near railway tracks affect the whole of the rail industry, with an adverse impact on safety, performance, reputation, costs and efficiency. The issue affects all parts of the business and society as a whole and is therefore something that we must tackle together. Trespass Awareness Day (TRESPAD) is UIC’s second global initiative to raise awareness of the risks at and around railway tracks and property to prevent accidents, incidents and casualties. In June 2021 the UIC set up an international working group on trespass and suicide prevention called TreSP-Network composed of 57 members from around the globe (USA, Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Japan). Those members are railway safety experts and academics specialised in trespass and suicide prevention. According to ERA in 2019, more than half of fatalities from railway accidents in the EU-27 involved unauthorised persons on the tracks or Trespassers (61%) and almost one third occurred at level crossings (33%). UIC estimates that there are half a million level (grade) crossings in the world, with over 100,000 in the EU (20%) and over 200,000 in the USA (40%). In the EU and the USA, level crossing accidents and fatalities represent almost a third of all railway incidents. When incidents involving pedestrian trespassing on tracks are included, this figure rises to 91% of all railway accidents in the EU and 95% in the USA. Trespass and railway suicides represent the most important cause of accidents and casualties for the railways before the number of level crossing accidents. The objective of TRESPAD is to aware the public on railway trespassing related dangers. More information UIC Trespad eNews articles UIC Safety Database — view and download the reports UIC safety database RESTRAIL project ; Restrail toolbox TreSP-Network kick-off meeting Trespass and suicide prevention at UIC UIC Workshop on Rail Suicide and Trespass Prevention held on 25 March 2019 in Paris