An ungated railway crossing south of Culcairn may need to be altered after more than 1000 drivers failed to obey stop sign rules in the space of a month.
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Australian Rail Track Corporation is set to engage with federal and state governments to determine possible safety measures after it partnered with road camera technology developer Acusensus to monitor the uncontrolled rail crossing across Odewahns Road, which links to the Olympic Highway.
The footage found 1015 of the 1923 motorists using the crossing throughout December last year did not stop when required.
Some 130 road users were deemed to be repeat offenders responsible for 604 illegal crossings.
Wrongdoings were not enforced and motorists did not receive fines or warning letters.
ARTC said trials are determined after consultation with relevant road managers and aren't widely publicised in order to gather an authentic snapshot of behaviour from motorists.
The rail organisation will work with road authorities and use the figures to help inform future decisions about level crossings.
Acusensus managing director Alexander Jannink said the level of non-compliance with warning signs was "worrying" and showed more needed to be done to educate motorists of the dangers level crossings posed to the safety of both vehicle and train occupants.
"This trial marks an important step in understanding how motorists are behaving around level crossings and where there are opportunities to use this data to affect long-lasting change," Mr Jannink said.
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"We have been innovating solutions in road safety for many years and recognise that there is still more work to be done when it comes to level crossings.
"The trial sites include a mix of passenger and freight trains that travel at up to 120km/h through these crossings.
"There is very little a train can do to avoid a collision at those speeds, so it is up to drivers to observe the traffic signals, which are there for both their safety and the safety of rail users."
Transport NSW's Level Crossing Strategy Council report for 2021 revealed 926 of the 1360 public road level crossings in the state are controlled by give way or stop signs.
The report confirmed seven collisions had occurred between a road vehicle and train in 2020-21, which resulted in two fatalities from a crash between a B-double and a freight train at a regional level crossing.
A further two serious injuries arose from an incident between a car and passenger train at a regional level crossing with passive protection.
Camera trials also took place at ungated rail crossings at Forbes and Scone.
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