In spite of the rain Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) once again embarked on its rail safety campaign to sensitise motorists and pedestrians about the dangers of trains.
This was done at the Enstra Road railway level crossing on Thursday.
According to Mike Asefovitz, spokesperson for TFR, pedestrians and motorists should adhere to the necessary safety practices to avoid injuries and deaths at the crossing.
The campaign, which was planned to take place on Thursday, only lasted a few minutes and had to be cancelled due to the rain.
The campaign focused on issues including the dangers of trains, crossing railway lines on foot, adhering to level crossing signs and is aimed at reducing and eradicating injuries and deaths arising from train incidents through focusing on changing the behaviours and attitudes of the public.
In the last financial year there were 91 level crossing incidents.
The fatalities at level crossings in the last five years from 2013 to 2017, totalled 71.
Asefovitz says almost all level crossing accidents are a result of the failure of motorists to stop at the clearly demarcated stop signs at level crossing.
Trains take a long time to stop, even when the driver applies brakes.
He says a loaded train can take more than one kilometer to stop.
The campaign was held in partnership with some of TFR’s key stakeholders including the Rail Safety Regulator, PRASA, Springs SAPS and community forums
However, only a few senior executives from TFR manned the level crossing to engage with motorists on the importance of adhering to road safety due to the rain.
These campaigns involve presentations on rail safety issues and the distribution of educational material to inform motorists and pedestrians on a number of rail safety-related messages.
TFR would like to appeal to communities to be safety ambassadors in their areas and to ensure that safety rules are adhered to in this festive season and going forward.
“We encourage people to exercise patience at level crossings and always know that trains have a right of way at all times,” says Asefovitz.
