Railway injury
In 2016, 9 cases (12 in 2015) of citizen injuries by rolling stock were registered within the service area of the Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor's Office. Of these, 6 (9) people were fatally injured, and 3 (3) were injured. Of the total number of injured, 6 (9) people were intoxicated, and 2 (0) were minors.
Train drivers applied emergency braking 36 times to prevent collisions with people and vehicles; in 29 cases, collisions were prevented, and in 2 cases, emergency braking was not applied during injuries.
In most cases, injuries occurred due to the personal carelessness of citizens near railway tracks, ignoring warning signals, as well as impaired coordination due to intoxication.
No traffic accidents involving railway transport were registered during the past period (in 2015, 2 traffic accidents were registered, resulting in 2 injuries).
In addition, in 2016, 4 transport offenses were registered (2 cases of placing foreign objects on the rails, 1 case of breaking windows, 1 case of damaging signaling and communication devices). In 2015, 11 transport offenses were registered (6 - breaking windows, 5 - placing foreign objects on the rails).
For violating the rules ensuring traffic safety on railway transport, specifically for crossing railway tracks at an unauthorized place, 806 (-703) offenders were brought to administrative responsibility, including 800 for citizens crossing and being on railway tracks at an unauthorized place and 6 for grazing (driving) livestock.
For violating the rules for crossing railway crossings
28 (-8) drivers of vehicles were brought to administrative responsibility in 2016, Vitebsk – 13, in 2015 – 12 (+1), Polotsk – 15, in 2015 – 24 (-9). In 2016, the Vitebsk, Polotsk, Voropaevo distance, together with the traffic police, conducted the "Crossing" operation, which covered an average of 88 crossings. During this operation, railway track workers and traffic police officers conducted briefings for 5710 drivers on the rules for crossing railway crossings and distributed 5130 safety guidelines. 2 cases of violation of railway crossing rules by drivers were detected (failure to comply with the requirements of the crossing signaling system); traffic police officers drew up protocols against the drivers for the violations detected. The Vitebsk transport prosecutor's office, in order to prevent child injuries, as well as the commission of transport crimes and offenses by minors, conducted 74 (74) presentations in educational institutions located near railway transport facilities. 10 (5) articles were published in the press, 15 (5) on the Internet, and 8 (8) on television. In addition, on December 19, 2016, the publication of an information and analytical review of the crime situation in the Vitebsk transport region was organized on the official website of the Vitebsk Regional Executive Committee in the section "News of the Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor's Office". To inform passengers about compliance with personal safety measures while on railway facilities at stations, train stations, and in suburban and passenger trains of local formation, preventive texts are broadcast on a permanent basis. Control over this type of preventive measure is assigned to the inspectorate staff of the Public Order Protection Department and train escort units. The Vitebsk transport prosecutor's office pays attention to issues of ensuring the safety of movement and operation of water, rail, and air transport. Based on the results of 8 (0) inspections conducted, 5 (0) submissions were made to officials of enterprises and organizations of the transport industry, and 15 (3) were issued.prescriptions. Upon the prosecutor's request, 6 (2) employees were brought to disciplinary liability, and 32 (19) individuals to administrative liability.Thus, in connection with unauthorized pedestrian crossings of railway tracks, where safety measures on railway transport facilities are systematically violated, the Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor's Office conducted an inspection at picket 5 of km 630 of the Polotsk-Ropnyanskaya section in Polotsk.
In 2016, 166 offenders were brought to administrative liability in this section by employees of the Polotsk Department of Internal Affairs on Transport under Part 3 of Article 18.3 of the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Belarus. In addition, in 2015, 2 cases of fatal injuries to people were registered.
It was established that UP "Vitebsk Branch of Belarusian Railway" has repeatedly received collective appeals from residents of the "Aeroport" and "Spassky" microdistricts, the Polotsk City Executive Committee, and OJSC "Polotsk Dairy Plant" over a long period regarding the arrangement of a pedestrian crossing over the railway track at picket 5 of km 630 of the Polotsk-Ropnyanskaya section.
To consider the possible arrangement of a crossing, a commission inspection of the section was organized twice with a site visit, based on the results of which decisions were made on the inexpediency of its construction. To ensure the safety of citizens and prevent unauthorized passage across the railway tracks, UP "Vitebsk Branch of Belarusian Railway" initiated a request to the Polotsk City Executive Committee to take measures to restrict public access to the railway track by organizing repairs and installing fences on the side of building No. 13 on Sushkov Street and OJSC "Polotsk Dairy Plant" in Polotsk, located beyond the railway right-of-way.
As established during the inspection conducted by the Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor's Office, these fences have not been installed, and to this day, citizens have free access for unauthorized crossing of the railway tracks on this section. Moreover, a part of the reinforced concrete fence is missing on the side of OJSC "Polotsk Dairy Plant", which contributes to
unauthorized access by the combine's employees.
In connection with the foregoing, a representation has been prepared for the management of JSC "Polotsk Dairy Combine" to eliminate violations of legislation aimed at ensuring safety in railway transport, as well as the causes and conditions contributing thereto.
Issues of ensuring traffic safety and the operation of all types of transport are under constant control. In accordance with the plan of control (supervisory) activities for the 1st half of 2017, these issues will be studied at the Vitebsk station, at the Novopolotsk washing and steaming station of UP "Vitebsk branch of Belarusian Railway" during scheduled inspections.
Deputy Vitebsk Transport Prosecutor
Junior Justice Advisor N.L. Kolpakova