Thousands of people have signed a petition to support a woman lobbying for change after the tragic loss of her fiance in a level crossing accident.
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Ethan Hunter was just 27 when he was driving a B-double truck with his colleague Mark Fenton, 50, carting gypsum on the outskirts of the Riverina in February.
Both men were tragically killed when their truck collided with a freight train at a Bribbaree crossing with only a stop sign and what Mr Hunter's fiancee Maddie Bott describes as "bushes disrupting a clear view".
In the aftermath, Ms Bott found herself in denial as she started planning the funeral for the love of her life instead of their dream wedding. But, she woke up one day and decided to use her grief as fuel and take action.
"I can never bring Ethan back, but I can fight to make sure that this never happens to anyone else," Ms Bott said.
"That's why I started the petition. We just hit over 16,000 signatures. That's nearly 2000 in the last two days."
Ms Bott said it had been an emotional journey as she works alongside a group to campaign for the petition.
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"We are all very tired, but we are all working hard," Ms Bott said.
"It's heartbreaking to hear from others about their experiences and know this has been going on for years. We have about 30 level crossing deaths a year.
"Their deaths could have been prevented if long overdue safety crossings had been implemented."
The ePetition to the Speaker and Members of the Legislative Assembly needs 20,000 signatures to see it discussed at NSW Parliament.
It asks to make warning lights mandatory at all level crossings, decrease speed limits on highways as approaching level crossings and make trains more visible with reflective material and better lights.
With less than a month to go, Ms Bott is urging people to sign up.
"Everyone in NSW has a reason to sign; whether they live near a level crossing, will ever use one, has a loved one who is in our emergency services or is a first responder themselves," she said.
"We all have a role to play in protecting people."
Steph Cooke MP said the ePetition could lead to action on rail safety, and working with Ms Bott on this issue is an honour of her career.
"I will continue to raise it with my colleagues and in the NSW Parliament," she said.
"Maddie has kindly given up her time to join me for meetings with the Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional Transport and Roads, and I am confident we can make real change on this issue."
"This is just the beginning of this campaign; if we can get to 20,000 signatures, it will trigger a debate in the House, which could lead to progress when it comes to increasing rail safety."
Members of the NSW Country Women's Association Members have passed a motion of urgency requesting the state government to commit immediately to increasing safety measures at all level crossings.
CWA of NSW President Stephanie Stanhope said safety at level crossings where there were no flashing lights or boom gates had always been an issue, and it was time something more was done to prevent further lives from being lost.
"We know there are more than 3800 level crossings on both public roads and private roads in NSW, and many fall into this 'passive' category," she said.
"We also know that a range of factors can impede people when it comes to seeing a train coming towards these crossings, and without a clear warning, like flashing lights, drivers can mistakenly believe it's safe to cross.
"Obviously there is a cost attached to these kinds of upgrades, but we'd argue the human cost is far higher, and that rural and regional residents should expect the same measures of safety as those in metropolitan areas."
The ePetition closes on July 5. To sign, click here.
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