Stop scrolling if you see videos of Toronto train surfers on social media and report it

This past September marked the 21st anniversary of Rail Safety Week in Toronto, but Metrolinx is taking safety seriously 365.

But what’s not very brat nor demure, is dangerous behaviour around trains, tracks, and platforms. Everything from train surfing, platform jumping, hanging off trains, and walking on tracks can put you at serious risk.

It’s reported by Operation Lifesaver that, in 2023 alone, 73 Canadians were hurt or killed because they were on tracks or rail property illegally. Another 32 were hurt or killed at crossings.

But it’s no secret content creators have been performing dangerous, illegal stunts to post on social media. No amount of likes or views is worth the risk when these kinds of videos can lead to serious, life-altering injuries, copycatting, and even death.

So what can you do when you see a dangerous video while you’re scrolling?

Report dangerous videos immediately & save lives

The first thing you do when you see a dangerous transit video is to not engage with it — which means not liking or sharing. Engagement on these kinds of videos only furthers their reach and rewards the risky behaviour of the creator who posted it. 

Furthering the video’s reach can also potentially put the video directly into the hands of the wrong person who’s looking for their own few seconds of viral fame.

Instead, report the video using the social media platform’s own reporting function. That way, you make the platform aware of the video and it hopefully gets flagged and taken down. You can save lives by helping remove videos of unsafe behaviour.

Getting help in real-time

If you happen to see this kind of behaviour in progress on the GO or UP Express network, you can text ‘HELP’ to 77777 (that’s five sevens). This will connect you to Metrolinx’s Customer Protective Services (CPS) so you can report the incident and request assistance if needed.

Thankfully, CPS is available in over 100 languages, including Hindi, Punjabi, Traditional and Simplified Chinese, Tagalog, and Arabic. So you can get quick, discrete help in any language.

Stay safe on the train

Fewer videos in circulation mean fewer people seeing these videos, fewer behaviour copycats, and more lives saved. 

No selfie or video is worth your life. Taking precautions means you won’t go viral for all the wrong reasons. And if you come across these photos or videos on the internet, report them right away to prevent others from seeing them. See something, say something. Safety is teamwork!