Metra will conduct 40 Operation Lifesaver (OLI) safety blitzes across the six-county region in 2025 as part of its ongoing efforts to raise awareness about the importance of safe behavior around its trains and tracks.
During a safety blitz, Metra employees will visit one of the railroad’s 243 stations during the morning rush hour, distributing educational materials about train and grade crossing safety, answering questions and listening to riders’ safety concerns. A short video about grade crossing safety is also available for customers to view while they wait for their trains. Local police, fire and other public officials are also invited to participate.
“Safety is always Metra’s highest priority,” said Metra CEO and Executive Director Jim Derwinski. “These safety blitzes allow us to reach our customers directly to ensure that they understand the need to stay vigilant about safety anytime they’re around the railroad.”
According to Metra, Illinois has the second-largest rail system in the U.S., with more than 7,300 miles of railroad track and 10,264 public rail crossings. In 2024, the state ranked sixth in the U.S. in train vs. vehicle collisions at highway rail crossings and fifth in the U.S. in trespassing fatalities. Preliminary statistics compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration show that in 2024, 21 people died and 52 people were injured in grade crossing incidents in Illinois and another 39 people were killed and 21 people were injured trespassing along railroad right-of-way.
Metra says the safety blitz program’s primary purpose is educational. Metra Police will also conduct additional enforcement blitzes at locations throughout the region, where citations and warnings will be issued to pedestrians and drivers who ignore gates and warning devices.
The agency also promotes safety through its annual Safety Competition for the region’s students and conducts hundreds of free OLI presentations annually to schools, community groups, school bus drivers, professional truck drivers, emergency responders and other organizations throughout the region.
To help promote rail safety awareness and eliminate preventable injuries and deaths, Metra develops an annual schedule of safety blitzes throughout the Chicago metropolitan area. The complete 2025 safety blitz schedule can be found on Metra’s website.
