Australia — The Australian Trucking Association is calling on all trucking operators to use next week’s National Rail Safety Week to make sure their drivers are reminded of the importance of safety at level crossings.
ATA Chief Executive, Stuart St Clair, said operators should use National Rail Safety Week, which runs from 23 – 29 August, to talk to their drivers about safety around level crossings.
“On average there are 100 accidents at level crossings each year, which results in an average of 37 deaths. These accidents could easily be avoided if every road user, whether they are truck or car drivers, cyclists or pedestrians, give level crossings the respect they deserve,” Mr St Clair said.
“That’s why we are asking trucking operators to use this week to make sure all their drivers are aware of the rules when approaching level crossings.”
The ATA recommends that truck operators:
- remind drivers of the importance of stopping at level crossings. Many accidents at level crossings occur because drivers have driven the route hundreds of times and relaxed their vigilance;
- encourage drivers to ‘stop, look, listen and think’ when approaching level crossings that do not have active controls like flashing lights and boom gates; and
- make sure drivers, when using private and farm crossings (which are often gated), do not park on the lines to open or close the gate.
Mr St Clair said National Rail Safety Week was the perfect opportunity for everyone involved in transport to commit to improving safety at level crossings.
“The ATA has been very proactive in encouraging level crossing safety. Last year, the House of Representative’s Standing Committee on Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government backed an ATA recommendation for further research into the use of cut-in radio warning technologies at level crossings,” Mr St Clair said.
Source: http://www.atatruck.net.au/media_releases.html