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FOLLOWING FOUR FATALITIES since 2007, 21 collisions between a train and a vehicle from 2002 to 2011 and 96 serious ‘near misses’ since 2012 at railway level crossings, a campaign has been launched to educate motorists on how to cross them safely.
There has also been 241 cases where a vehicle has been in collision with a level crossing and 86 reports of an obstruction on a crossing, however, these figures are below the European average for such incidents.
The Road Safety Authority, Iarnród Éireann and the Railway Safety Commission launched ‘Safety at Level Crossings’ earlier today aimed at making road users aware of the correct behaviour at railway crossings and the dangers posed by their misuse.
The Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, Leo Varadkar said people need to take responsibility for their own actions at railway level crossings:
Your own actions at a level crossing can have a significant impact on your own welfare, and the lives of others. Something as simple as leaving a gate open at an unattended crossing can have disastrous consequences for anyone who follows.
David Franks Chief Executive of Iarnród Éireann said some people still disobey the signs and roadways markings at level crossings:
Between 2009 and June 2012 there have been 96 Category 1 ‘near misses’. This refers to incidents where the train driver made an emergency brake application in response to a hazard. It is vital that road users understand that they must approach a level crossing with care and then slow down and be prepared to stop. It is highly dangerous to zigzag around the barriers of a crossing or stop on the railway tracks.
“I would urge people to remember that you must shut and fasten the gates at level crossings after you,” said Railway Safety Commissioner Gerald Beesley. “We have had 20 incidents of a train striking a gate as a result of them being left open by a road user which creates a dangerous situation for all.”
The ‘Safety at Level Crossings’ campaign includes the publication of the new information booklet which will be available for download from the websites of the Road Safety Authority, Iarnród Éireann and the Railway Safety Commission. In addition, a new 30 second radio advertisement will air on national and local radio from today.
The section of the Rules of the Road dealing with level crossings and railway bridges has also been updated in conjunction with Iarnród Éireann and the Railway Safety Commission.
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Near misses and collisions due to peoples inability to drive a car or behave properly around a usually well marked and signalled level crossing, while its devastating for the families of the 4 deceased persons, let’s have the figures for the suicide in Ireland for the first 3 months of this year minister Reilly?
The bottom line is that Ireland has an over reaching number of Chancers. In comparison to other 1st World countries. .. Generally and culturally Irish folks enjoy thumbing laws and the police.
In the US, the average person is fearful of being caught and punished. As an opposite, generally Irish folks, without thinking often gamble and see what they can get a with…. This is seen as a win….
What part of “below the European average for such incidents” did you not understand?
Eoin… Screw the European average! One death is too many. I’m sure if one of your family members where killed in accident involving a train, you wouldn’t be spouting the fact that the Euoropean Average is low for Ireland… So the death is acceptable.
Is that just because the length of our rail network is below the European average though?
Marlon, I was quite clearly referring to the bit where you said “The bottom line is that Ireland has an over reaching number of Chancers. In comparison to other 1st World countries. .. Generally and culturally Irish folks enjoy thumbing laws and the police”….. were that the case, there is no way we would be “below the European average for such incidents”. I appreciate your point that one death is too many and that if one of my family members was killed in an accident involving a train I wouldn’t be “spouting the fact” but frankly that wasn’t the argument you originally made and you have completely changed it and said nothing in your reply to back up your original, frankly disgraceful, accusation. Your either being wilfully ignorant or deliberately obtuse…. which is it?
Unless of course it could be because of our limited and meagre rail network, as Chris pointed out above.
IMHO there’s no question that the Irish have a more “Mediterranean” view of adhering to regulations than other Northern Europeans.
I wish the safety authorities here were as innovative as the ones in Melbourne who came up with dumbwaystodie.com (You can thank me later when the song is stuck in your head)
How do you make one more aware in fairness. Its common bloody sense not to cross a railway track when the gates are closing with a fecking train coming. Are the rsa gonna give some free brain transplants?
I’m open to correction on this but surely a ‘near miss’ is a hit, would it not be more accurate to say ‘close miss’ or even ‘near hit’?
Why not penalize those who make it across the crossing when they’re not supposed to? Those who don’t make it will be more heavily penalised!!!!
I found my self on one these unmanned crossings where someone left the gate open and which warning signs on approach was covered in the ditch and got some fright when I realised I was sitting on a level crossing a couple of years ago
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