Freight Rail, Safety, Standards & Regulation

‘Only a matter of time’: Train drivers staggered by reckless behaviour

Aurizon’s freight train drivers still see high levels of reckless behaviour from motorists around the rail corridor, despite continued campaigns to raise awareness.

With Rail Safety Week in full swing, Aurizon is calling on community to stop taking risks at level crossings, as the number of incidents remains high.

This year, Aurizon has partnered up with the TrackSAFE Foundation and the Queensland Government on a series of billboards urging rail safety located at Dawson and Bruce Highways in Central Queensland, and the Pacific Motorway and Gateway North Motorway in South East Queensland.

The billboards’ message is simple, but urgent: Stop. Look. Listen and Think. STAY OFF THE TRACKS.”

Andrew Harding, Aurizon’s managing director and CEO, said the operator’s freight train drivers continue to report a high frequency of reckless behaviour at level crossings.

“Over the past year, our drivers experienced more than 130 dangerous near misses at level crossings because of reckless behaviour by motorists,” Harding said.

“We are urging people in all communities to stop taking risks with their lives and the lives of our drivers. If people continue to take risks, it’s only a matter of time before the outcome is fatal.”

Harding explained the velocity and weight of the freight trains mean drivers cannot simply stop or swerve to miss a person or vehicle on the tracks.

“Even when the emergency brakes are applied, a fully loaded train can take two kilometres to stop, and the outcome can be devastating,” he said. “For every near miss there is a very real and emotional impact for our drivers and their families.”

As part of its campaign, Aurizon has also released a short educational video on YouTube to encourage greater awareness about safety around rail corridors.