For the next week, our neighbors to the north will be celebrating Rail Safety Week, sponsored by the Canadian National Railway Police.

CN's public awareness campaign consists of "no compromise": no accidents,  no injuries, and no fatalities. CN police officers will be conducting safety checks at railway crossings and commuter stations in about 150 locations across Canada and the United States.

"Injuries and fatalities on and near railway crossings, tracks and property must be reduced," said CN Police Chief Stephen Covey. "CN is determined to end the tragic loss of life and debilitating injuries — most of them completely avoidable."

CN is also reaching out to drivers in all provinces, including school bus drivers, to make rail safety is a bigger part of driver education, including information on the tougher penalties for violations at crossings and for trespassing. According to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, there were 256 grade crossing and railway trespassing accidents across Canada in 2009, which caused 71 deaths and 36 serious injuries.