Rail R U OK?
18 Apr 2024
Level Crossing Safety
TrackSAFE works with governments and rail operators to reduce the risk of incidents at level crossings.
Trains and trams cannot swerve or stop quickly to avoid a person, car or bicycle. There are more than 23,000 level crossings in Australia, places where a road and/or a footpath cross a railway line. Around half of these are on public roads and other half on private land.
Level crossings are high risk locations and accidents occur far too frequently.
Reducing the risk of accidents is a joint responsibility of car drivers, truck drivers, pedestrians, rail operators and governments.
TrackSAFE advocates for level crossing removal programs, public awareness campaigns to improve driver and pedestrian behaviour and funding for new research and trials of emerging technologies which may help to reduce fatalities and injuries at level crossings.
It also takes advantages of opportunities to raise our concern about level crossing safety with governments, regulators, the heavy vehicle industry and road users.
TrackSAFE is also an active participant of the National Level Crossing Safety Committee (NLCSC).
The NLCSC coordinates national efforts for safer level crossings. It provides opportunities for knowledge sharing and national consistency in data collection and use, and in technology trials and take up.
The Committee is Chaired by the Director General of the Queensland Department of Transport & Main Roads, Neil Scales OBE, and includes representatives from governments (including New Zealand), the Office of the National Rail Safety Regulator and the Chair of the Australasian Railway Association. Rail operators, track owners and managers will provide advice to the Committee via an Advisory Committee that will be established in early 2023.
The Committee reports to the Infrastructure and Transport Senior Officials Committee (ITSOC) which in turn reports to the meeting of Ministers.
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