Over a dozen charges laid during railway crossing safety blitz in Kingston

A total of 14 drivers in Kingston have been charged after a railway crossing safety enforcement campaign took place in the city yesterday.

Each year, June 15th marks International Level Crossing Awareness Day, serving as a reminder to the public that “level railway crossings are high-risk spots on the railway network for both road and railway users,” Kingston Police said in a press release on Friday, Jun. 16, 2023.

“All over the world, regardless of the country or culture, the railway sector faces the same problems at level crossings and around tracks. The vast majority of collisions at level crossings are caused by users who deliberately take risks or make bad decisions by mistake, out of habit, or when distracted,” according to the UIC worldwide railway organization, which spearheads International Level Crossing Awareness Day, or ILCAD.

On International Level Crossing Awareness Day, the Kingston Police Safety Unit and members of the CN Police conducted enforcement at or near railway crossings in Kingston, according to police, with those efforts focused primarily on those driving at high speeds near or approaching railway crossings.

As a result of that campaign, 14 charges were laid, Kingston Police said.

Kingstonist has inquired with Kingston Police as to what types of charges were laid. No response was received by time of publication. This article will be updated if/when that information becomes available.