AVA campaign warns of track crossing and smartphone distraction
Aargau Verkehr (AVA), the operator of the Limmattalbahn, is launching a safety campaign. With this campaign, AVA aims to urge passengers to be more vigilant when near the tracks. The campaign focuses on unauthorized track crossings and is illustrated by dramatic video footage from everyday life in the train driver’s cab.
The Awareness and safety campaign is under the motto "Together for more awarenessas AVA announced on Wednesday. Although the railroad is an extremely safe means of transport, the awareness for a correct and safe behavior in the track area should be strengthened.
The focus is also on unauthorized track crossing and attentive behavior at level crossings and in the tram area. Unlawful track crossing is not a trivial offense, but an official offense under the Railway Act.
Trains have long braking distance
Unauthorized track crossing is one of the greatest dangers around the railroad, AVA states. It is obvious to abuse the way over the railroad tracks as a shortcut - but the people concerned underestimate the speed and the significantly longer braking distance of the trains.
On the Limmattalbahn alone, there are two avoidable emergency braking maneuvers per day due to careless behavior on the part of other road users.
Smartphones distraction as a danger
However, people are often inattentive due to distractions caused by smartphones or headphones and pay too little attention to rail traffic. That's why the campaign is focusing on the younger generation: the transport company is showing anonymized original videos from the train driver's cab on social media and YouTube.
AVA, which also operates the Bremgarten-Dietikon Railway, transports more than 20 million passengers a year and has around 520 employees. The main shareholders are the canton of Aargau (45 percent), the federal government (33 percent) as well as municipalities, the city of Aarau (5 percent) and the canton of Zurich (2 percent). (SDA)
