Call for Abstracts
Launch Conference of the 5th edition of the Trespass Awareness Day (TRESPAD)
UIC HQ, Paris, June 10, 2026
According to the UIC safety database report 2025, over 90% of all fatalities on rail infrastructure involve third parties (mainly trespassers and level crossing users).
Since June 2009 UIC, the worldwide railway organisation, with the support of the railway community around the world has spearheaded the International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD), a worldwide initiative to improve awareness of level crossing safety.
In 2021 UIC decided to set up the TreSP-Network, an international working group of experts brought together to exchange knowledge and expertise relating to Trespass and Suicide Prevention programmes, best practices, and measures to decrease the number of incidents and casualties.
Trespass and Suicide events affect the whole rail industry with an adverse impact on safety, performance, reputation, costs and efficiency as well as an impact on the health and wellbeing of staff who have to deal with the consequences. But those consequences are also felt across society as a whole. Trains delayed by trespassers make people late for important business meetings, family occasions and travel connections. As well as reducing the immediate human toll, the case for working together to prevent railway trespass or suicide is clear.
- For the past four years, ILCAD and TRESPAD have been launched on consecutive days with linked conferences.
- For the first time ever, on 10 June, we will be organising TRESPAD at the UIC in Paris. The event will be held in person, in English and French (no hybrid version).
- TRESPAD conference attracts railway industry representatives, academics, experts in human behaviours, and many others from around the world who are working to raise awareness about the dangers surrounding railway tracks and tackle suicide prevention.
- An exhibition will run in parallel with the conferences, enabling industries to showcase their innovations and technologies to improve safety at level crossings and around railway tracks.
- The events will be followed by technical visits organised with the support of SNCF Réseau on 11 June 2026 (detailed programme will be confirmed and published at a later date).
- The call for abstracts is open
We would be delighted to receive proposals for presentations providing insights into the cause and motivations of trespass and suicide events in rail, approaches to prevent and manage such events and the impact of such interventions.
We are particularly interested in presentations focused on risk assessment, use of new technologies (AI + connected cameras, connected barriers, sensors, obstacle detectors, apps…), improvement of signage through applied cognitive science, safety projects in cooperation with other organisations, education and awareness, community outreach, return of experience from field staff (drivers, station staff, emergency services, etc.), prevention associations, charity organisations, and finally, enforcement measures as far as trespassing is concerned.
For more information on past TRESPAD launch conferences: TRESPAD 2025: 4th edition in York, GB click here
Contact at: ilcad at uic.org
To submit an abstract to the TRESPAD 2026 Conference with a deadline fixed to 2nd March 2026 please fill in the following form