Police crackdown on little known road rule that could cost you $448
Police are getting stricter on a road rule most people aren’t even aware they’re breaking.
Authorities in Northern NSW have started a campaign to increase public awareness on level crossings.
In the Tamworth area, law enforcement is keeping a keen look out for risky motorist behaviour around railway crossings.
Residents living in nearby suburbs were informed of the enforcement period through letterbox drops.
Electronic billboards are also now in the area, reminding motorists to take care when driving through level crossings.
In a new initiative to raise awareness for road safety relating to level crossings, NSW law enforcement are cracking down on motorists who do not leave a 20 metre distance when stopping at train tracks.
While stopping at flashing lights and stop signs at train tracks is not something on driver’s minds and something we rarely even think twice about – there are motorist’s putting themselves and others in danger by ignoring these rules.
Greg Rolph, the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command’s acting Assistant Commissioner told news.com.au that drivers who ignore any of the rules are putting themselves in an extreme amount of danger.
“In the past month, there have been two incidents where vehicles are queuing too close to the tracks, forcing the drivers of approaching passenger trains to apply emergency brakes,” Mr Rolph explained.
“In one case, a boom gate came down on the cabin of a truck, and it was only good fortune that the vehicle involved was able to clear the tracks before trains appeared.”
Police will keep an eye out for motorists who queue over railway tracks, speed near level crossings, disobey flashing lights and stop signs and use their phones when approaching level crossings.
Drivers who get caught will be hit with a pricey AUD$448 fine and have three demerit points scraped from their license.
Almost 1000 penalty notices for level crossing traffic offences state-wide have been issued in the last two years.
“This is why we need to continue running these localised campaigns and reinforce our Train to Stop message to motorists at level crossings,” Mr Rolph said.
11 people have died between July 2001 to June 2018 from collisions between trains and vehicles in NSW, the Centre for Road Safety executive director, Bernard Carlon said.
“This enforcement operation is all about saving lives and preventing injuries,” Mr Carlon explained.
“But we need drivers to be responsible and play their part in reducing trauma at level crossings.”