Aurizon is once again warning the community about risky behaviour at level crossings, after a series of recent near misses on the Western Australian rail network.
Danny Harnedy, Aurizon’s head of safety, said that shot cuts at level crossings by motorists was putting lives in danger.
“We continue to see motorists displaying reckless behaviour at level crossings and disobeying the law, putting the lives of our train drivers and others on the line,” Mr Harnedy said.
The most recent incident occurred on Wednesday night, when a car carrying passengers stopped in the middle of the Lowlands Level Crossing in Mundijoing. If the driver of an incoming train had not been given warning in enough time to stop, Harnedy said that “the result would have been devastating”.
Near misses are occurring frequently, and Aurizon has been outspoken in the past about the severity of the danger involved in unsafe rail crossings.
“Just last month our drivers also narrowly missed a B-Double fuel tanker that illegally crossed the Yarri Road level crossing in Parkeston, West Kalgoorlie,” Harnedy said.
“The motorist appeared to blatantly ignore the flashing lights at the level crossing, and had the tanker crossed the tracks seconds earlier the result could have been catastrophic.”
Six near misses have occurred at Martin Pelusey Road in Picton, with motorists reportedly making crossing attempts at the tracks with incoming trains mere metres away.
Harnedy said that while collisions had not occurred in these situations, the community needed to be aware that near misses cause a great deal of emotional impact for those involved.
“When our drivers see a vehicle or a person on the tracks, they can’t simply stop or swerve to miss them. Even when the emergency brakes are applied, a fully loaded train can take two kilometres to stop, and the outcome can be devastating.”
Aurizon’s message to motorists is to approach level crossings cautiously, “to stop, look, listen and think”, and to made sure the law is being obeyed.
If the risk continued to be ignored, Harnedy said, it would only be a matter of time before a fatality occurs.
“It’s just not worth the risk. No injury or fatality can be justified by the short amount of time that you think you will save by taking a short cut and disobeying the law.”
Aurizon and the TrackSAFE Foundation have provided rail safety education information and materials on their websites at www.aurizon.com.au and www.tracksafefoundation.com.au