Safety warning for South-West Queensland motorists

The number of motorists and pedestrians in South-West Queensland risking lives at railway crossings has spiked by 33 per cent, despite a 15 per cent fall in incidents across the state.

Queensland Rail has issued a stern warning to motorists in South-West Queensland after two near misses in the region in the past two weeks, the most recent being an incident at Oakey on Monday (20 May), where a motor vehicle avoided colliding with a freight train by less than a second.

The near miss occurred at the Davidson Street level crossing, when the driver of a dual cab utility vehicle ignored the railway crossing flashing lights and signage, driving through the crossing in front of an oncoming freight train.

Queensland Rail Acting Chief Executive Officer Jim Benstead said the near miss at Oakey came after a similar incident last week in Toowoomba, when a motorist drove in front of a freight train and avoided collision by less than 25 metres.

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