IT beggars belief that motorists have to be warned - repeatedly - to give way to trains at rail crossings.
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However, TasRail has had to once again do just that with video footage showing two near-misses involving trains and vehicles from last weekend. One close call was at the Wilmores Lane near Longford.
It is the exact same crossing where a motorist was killed in 2012 when his white Toyota Hilux and the north-bound train collided.
The most recent footage shows a white utility racing across the tracks in front of the train, which was blowing its horn as it approached. The second, and much closer call, was filmed at Ulverstone's Water Street crossing and involved a silver SUV narrowly avoiding being hit.
Whether people do not notice the trains, or believe they are slow-moving enough to beat, their actions are completely idiotic.
Pity the train drivers who must approach every crossing with a sense of dread, hoping this one is not the intersection where someone will gamble with their life and lose.
One only has to watch internet footage of collisions at rail crossings to witness the immense force behind a train. Mass times acceleration is an equation that a car is never going to win.
There are 199 level crossings in Tasmania, of which 123 are actively controlled, meaning flashing lights and warning bells are activated by approaching trains. The remainder are passively controlled, which means stop and give way signs are used to warn motorists to watch for trains.
Upgrading all the crossings to active would cost up to $60 million, according to TasRail.
Such were the frequency of near-misses on its lines, TasRail installed closed circuit television cameras on its locomotives.
Since then the CCTV cameras have captured motorists dicing with death to save a couple of minutes. It is not worth the risk.
Entering a level crossing when a train is approaching carries a $120 fine. Perhaps that should be increased dramatically and monitored until people get the message.