BeRailSafe is a safety initiative sponsored by the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT), dedicated to raising awareness about the risks associated with railroad trespassing. In 2019, NCDOT collaborated with the Institute for Transportation Research and Education (ITRE) to conduct an extensive study on rail trespassing incidents in high-traffic areas of North Carolina. The primary objective was to identify ways to predict and reduce such incidents. This comprehensive research shed light on several critical aspects, including the prevalence of trespassing in these areas, the underlying motivations for trespassing, dispelling common myths related to trespassing, and the perceptions of those affected by such incidents. To disseminate these valuable findings to the public, it was determined that a series of ten educational events would be organized across North Carolina, specifically targeting regions with higher rates of rail trespassing. These workshops, led by former State Highway Patrol Officer Roger Smock and the Principal Investigator of the research, Chris Cunningham, served as platforms to present the research results. Attendees gained insight into actual rail trespassing incidents that had occurred across the state, and through visualizations, they witnessed how quickly a person can unwittingly place themselves in grave danger. Furthermore, in collaboration with Nicholas Allen of NCA&T, the workshops included a pre- and post-presentation survey component. This survey aimed to gauge how attendees' attitudes and perceptions regarding rail trespassing evolved throughout the workshop, contributing valuable data to the ongoing efforts to mitigate these risks in North Carolina.
