2023

Company : TrackSAFE

Contacts : Heather Neil

Company’s website : www.tracksafefoundation.com.au

Level crossings’ website : https://tracksafefoundation.com.au/level-crossing

Videos : https://tracksafefoundation.com.au/

Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/TrackSAFEFoundation/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/TrackSAFE

  • Total number of LC in 2023 : over 23000
  • Total number of accidents in 2018 : 150
  • Total number of fatalities in 2018 : 5
  • Total length of lines (km) : 32 000
    Statistics TRACKSAFE 2021

Between 2001-2021 there were 2,167 fatalities – 1,558 suicides or suspected suicides and 609 other fatalities on the Australian heavy rail network. This is a total annual average of 103 fatalities per year (74 suicides & suspected suicides and 29 other fatalities), or 2 each week.

Most occur in Victoria (44%) followed by New South Wales (31%), Queensland (12%), Western Australia (9%) and South Australia (4%) and 7 in the Northern Territory, 5 in Tasmania and 2 in the Australian Capital Territory.

While any death or injury is one too many, all the work the rail industry and governments are doing is showing results – with a downward trend in incident numbers over the last twenty years.

Of the suicides (2001-2017) and consistent with the wider community suicide trends, three quarters of those that died were men. However, those who choose rail to take their own life are younger, with 42% under the age of 30 years.

Since 2016 rail operators have been required to report to ONRSR occurrences – be they fatalities, injuries or near misses in accordance with the National Rail Safety National Law. Between 2016-2021 there were:

a total of 1,132 fatalities, injuries and attempted suicides with no injuries reported on ONRSR, an average of 189 per year.
509 fatalities, an average of 85 per year. 438 of these fatalities were suspected suicides (an average of 73 per year and 86% of all fatalities).
402 attempted suicides. There are likely to have been many more attempted suicides and threats of self-harm that did not meet the regulatory reporting threshold.
44 fatalities and 96 injuries to trespassers. In addition, there were 5,279 near misses with trespassers, an average of 880 per year. There are likely to have been many more near misses that did not meeting the regulatory reporting threshold.
18 fatalities and 111 injuries as a result of collisions with a road vehicle at a level crossing and 9 fatalities and 14 injuries as result of collisions with a pedestrian at a level crossing. In addition, there were 5,843 near misses at level crossings, an average of 974 per year. There are likely to have been many more near misses that did not meeting the regulatory reporting threshold.

All links are available here

  • Australian heavy rail network 2001-2021
  • New South Wales heavy rail network 2001-2021
  • Queensland heavy rail network 2001-2021
  • South Australia heavy rail network 2001-2021
  • Victoria heavy rail network 2001-2021
  • Western Australia heavy rail network 2001-2021

Other useful resources: