Rail safety is everyone's responsibility

13 Aug 2018

South Australians are being urged to be aware of the road rules and dangers around railway tracks as part of national Rail Safety Week.

There are over 696 railway crossings on public roads in metropolitan and rural South Australia and more than 358 pedestrian crossings on Adelaide’s passenger rail network.

Between 2013 and 2017, no people were killed and 8 people seriously injured at railway crossings and 562 near misses were reported by rail operators. The trauma experienced by rail operators and the community is avoidable.

Some simple measures can save your life:

• Obey the signals and signs at a road or pedestrian railway crossing.  You can stop, a train can’t.
• If a train is coming, wait for it to pass, and look both ways to ensure tracks are clear before crossing – another train may be coming.
• Use pedestrian crossings and platforms – never trespass in rail corridors.
• If you’re driving, always make sure there is sufficient space for your vehicle to cross safely to the other side without stopping.
• Look up! Remove headphones and don’t use a mobile phone when trying to cross tracks.

Remember, never enter a level crossing while the lights are flashing or warning bells operating or the road beyond the crossing is not clear.

The Department of Planning, Transport and Infrastructure will be encouraging South Australians to take the Rail Safety Quiz during Rail Safety Week (13 – 19 August).

The quiz is available on http://mylicence.sa.gov.au/road-rules/rail-safety-quiz