***PLEASE NOTE: Peel Traffic and Highway Patrol Inspector Kelly Wixx will be available for phone interviews, please email Western Region Media Officer, Rachel Hobden on [email protected]
Risky driver behaviour at level crossings will be targeted by police as part of high visibility awareness campaign in the Central West.
From today (Monday 20 March 2023) to Friday (31 March 2023), police from the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command will increase patrols at level crossings in the Manildra area.
The campaign is aimed at increasing public safety and awareness around rail level crossings in regional NSW – part of an ongoing series of enforcement campaigns between the NSW Police Force and the NSW Centre for Road Safety at Transport for NSW.
During the campaign, police will be on the lookout for motorists disobeying level crossing flashing lights and stop signs, vehicles queuing over the railway tracks, speeding near level crossings, and drivers who are distracted by illegal use of mobile phones.
Traffic and Highway Patrol, Peel Sector Manager, Inspector Kelly Wixx, said that despite the potentially fatal consequences, people are still ignoring warnings at level crossings.
"Motorists are urged not to be complacent as trains can come from any direction, at any time, and there can be multiple trains on tracks that can travel at speed of up to 160km/h," she said.
"Some trains can take more than a kilometre to come to a complete stop, so even if they see you, they can't stop.
"Disobeying level crossing warning lights and signs can lead to crashes between vehicles and trains where the consequences can be deadly".
Inspector Wixx said people need to take personal responsibility when around level crossings to ensure the path is clear.
"Speed and distractions are both major factors when it comes to level crossing collisions. Those few moments of inattention can be fatal," she said.
This is why we need to continue raising awareness and reinforce our 'Train to Stop' message to motorists at level crossings.
Between July 2008 and June 2022 there have been 92 collisions between trains and cars at level crossings in NSW, resulting in ten people losing their lives and 17 suffering injuries – all of which could have been avoided.
The penalty for disobeying controls is three demerit points and a $481 fine.
