The Queensland Police Service Railway Squad is reminding everyone to be responsible and safe around the state’s rail network.
This week is Rail Safety Week, an annual community awareness project across Australia and New Zealand designed to heighten the importance of rail safety in the community.
Rail Safety – it’s everyone’s responsibility
Rail Safety Week finishes on August 16, but police want to stress that rail safety is important all year round.
Near-misses on pedestrian or level crossings are far too commonplace, and in 2019 there were over 5,000 reports of people trespassing on the Queensland Rail network – putting themselves at imminent risk.
Even a careless or poorly timed decision can have grave consequences when railways are involved, due to live wires, driver visibility and vehicle stopping distance.
For each incident involving the rail network, police officers, paramedics, firefighters, train drivers, guards and station staff are involved, and some incidents have a lasting impact on the people in those roles.
Any tragedy along rail lines is one too many, so Rail Safety Week provides a timely reminder to the community to be aware and responsible when using any aspect of the rail network, including trams and trains, railway lines, stations or crossings.
The risk of serious injury or death as a result of trespassing in the railway corridor or by not staying alert near tracks is ever-present and very real.
The message is simple – rail safety is everyone’s responsibility.
For more information on rail safety this Rail Safety Week, visit the Track SAFE Foundation website: https://tracksafefoundation.com.au/railsafe-pledge
