Source: HVIA
A study by the Australian Transport Safety Bureau has found heavy vehicles are more frequently involved in level crossing collisions than cars and other light vehicles.
The study, released ahead of the national rail level crossing safety roundtable on Wednesday, March 6, set out to compare the severity of level crossing collisions involving heavy road vehicles, to those involving light road vehicles, ATSB Chief Commissioner Angus Mitchell explains.
The research, detailed in the final report, used qualitative and quantitative methods to analyse data from both Australia and the United States, including a review of all reported level crossing collisions involving heavy vehicles in Australia from July 2014 to August 2022.
“The analysis confirmed collisions involving heavy road vehicles are more common, and more dangerous, than those involving light vehicles,” Mitchell says.
On a ‘per vehicle’ and ‘per kilometre travelled’ basis, heavy vehicles are more frequently involved in level crossing collisions than cars and other light vehicles.
“Level crossing collisions involving heavy vehicles were more likely to lead to injuries to the occupants of rail vehicles, to damage to rail vehicles and track, and to the derailment of rail vehicles,” Mitchell adds.
The study identified several themes in the 49 level crossing collisions involving heavy vehicles in Australia from July 2014 to August 2022.
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