THE DRIVING FORCE OF NEW ZEALAND TRUCKING
This bus illustrates the problem of stacking that occurs at some level crossings
victims and their friends and families, but also the wider community and the rail staff involved.” She says there have also been more than 300 reported near misses and the frequency of those is increasing. As at September 2017, train drivers reported 33 near misses with heavy vehicles across NZ – up from 24 the year before, a 38% rise. The trend may in part be due to better reporting, as well as increases in the frequency of train services and an increase in the number of kilometres travelled by trucks. Canterbury, Auckland and Waikato have recorded the greatest number of near misses between trucks and trains. Drayton notes that there are a number of environmental factors at level crossings that can increase the risk for heavy vehicle operators: “According to the Transport Accident Investigation Commission, around 19%, or 264, of our level crossings have short stacking distances. This means a long vehicle will not be able to completely clear the level crossing when it’s stopped at an adjacent road intersection. “There are also some level crossings where the profile or the change of rate in gradient may not be compatible with vehicles that have low, albeit legal, ground clearance.” In order to provide better information about the hazards presented by level crossings TrackSAFE NZ is looking for 1000 heavy vehicle drivers to sign up to participate in an online survey. All participants go into a prize draw for one of five $200 fuel vouchers. Information that TrackSAFE NZ says it would like to get from drivers includes how they perceive and regard the risk around railway level crossings and how those perceptions manifest in their behaviour around a crossing. Some questions, for example, may relate to how heavy vehicle drivers behave when approaching level crossings protected by 44 | Truck & Driver
Give Way or Stop Signs….or may investigate the degree to which heavy vehicle drivers understand train stopping distances. The organisation says it’s not intended to point the finger at drivers, but rather to inform the development of a new safety campaign and provide valuable information in the progression of level crossing upgrades and trials of new technologies. None of this work exists in isolation: KiwiRail currently has a number of engineering trials under way to help make level crossings safer. A system is being trialled that sees crossing alarms activated early if an over-length vehicle approaches a level crossing at the same time as a train. The system can measure the length of the vehicle and also detects the oncoming train. When they’re detected at the same time, alarms are activated to alert the driver of the danger. This short-stacking system is one of a number of safety improvement trials KiwiRail is working on with the Safe Roads Alliance at crossings throughout the country. The Alliance comprises NZTA and infrastructure consultancies Beca, BBO and Northern Civil Consulting. It’s been established to deliver a programme of road and roadside safety improvements to the state highway network for the last six years. Another key project KiwiRail is working on is a trial in the lower North Island of solar-powered signs that illuminate when a vehicle approaches a level crossing, encouraging drivers to stop and look for trains. Trial results have so far been positive and the sign is now proceeding through an approval process with NZTA. More information about the research is available by contacting Megan Drayton at TrackSAFE – (04) 498 2010 or tracksafe@tracksafe.co.nz or by registering directly with Karen Connell at UMR – (04) 473 1066 or karen.connell@umr.co.nz T&D