The Australian rail industry is uniting for this years’ Rail Safety week which goes from 11th to the 17th August. The aim of the week is to warn Australians to be safe around tracks and trains or risk becoming another near hit statistic. Patron of the TrackSAFE Foundation Tim Fischer said, “There are more than 1,000 near hits on Australian railway lines every year.” He is pleading with people to consider the impact a hit has not only on the person but to the train driver. “In reality, these 1,000 near hits show us that 1,000 people could have ruined their own life, as well as the lives of the train driver, scene attendants, witnesses, and their family. A rail accident affects more than just you and that’s the message the industry is trying to get across this Rail Safety Week,” said Mr Fischer. Although the train lines in Canowindra are no longer active, take this week as a reminder that this is not the case for many other towns, so steer clear of the tracks.
By Rhi Quinn