Footage of a pedestrian narrowly escaping death after darting in front of an express train in Brisbane is a reminder to all about the dangers of ignoring signs and signals at railway crossings, Queensland’s Transport Minister says.
Scott Emerson says a 20-year-old man is lucky to be alive after he pushing through closed pedestrian gates at Cannon Hill station last month and crossing the tracks in front of a train travelling at about 60 kilometres per hour.
The CCTV footage posted by Queensland Rail on YouTube shows the man apparently being knocked to the ground by the rush of wind from a passing train.
“The incident shows how easy it is for a pedestrian to miss the danger of a second oncoming train and taking an unthinkable risk which could have been fatal,” Mr Emerson said in a statement.
“The pedestrian gates at Cannon Hill were closed at the time of the incident â?? all it takes to stay safe at railway crossings is to pay attention to the signs and signals.”
The man has appeared in court and was charged with entering a rail crossing when warning signals were operating, an offence carrying a maximum penalty of $ 2,200.
Mr Emerson reminded members of the public to consider their responsibilities when it came to rail safety.
“People of all ages need to be aware that trespassing, taking shortcuts and unsafe behaviour near railway tracks is not a joke,” he said.
“It is illegal and it is risky behaviour that endangers not only their lives but also the lives of train crew and passengers.”
According to Queensland Rail, near misses at railway crossings across the state have dropped from 489 to 351, or by nearly 30 per cent, since it launched its “Crosses” safety campaign in June last year.
