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00:31There's around 17,000 level crossings around Australia,
00:35many of these on country roads like the one behind me here.
00:38They have no lights or boom gates.
00:41We are saying this needs to change,
00:43and we want mandatory legislation introduced
00:45to ensure that all trains have safety lighting.
00:49This issue affects all Australians,
00:51and we know that people that are from metropolitan areas
00:54are at greater risk of a crash with a train
00:56because they are expecting full controls in place
00:58that they're just not going to get in regional areas
01:01where these level crossings are protected only by signage.
01:03In Australia, there's strict lighting requirements
01:06for trucks, buses, cars, even bicycles.
01:10But when it comes to Australia's biggest land vehicle, trains,
01:14there are no mandatory standards in place,
01:17and this anomaly really needs to be corrected.
01:20When approaching a railway level crossing,
01:22especially those without lights or boom gates,
01:25drivers must exercise caution
01:26and must always check that it is safe to cross.
01:29But a driver can't give way to a train they can't see.
01:37The rail industry is very profitable,
01:39powerful and protected.
01:41We have a unique situation
01:42where the Rail Industry Safety and Standards Board
01:45is owned and controlled by rail operators.
01:47So they have the power to put commercial interests
01:50before public safety.
01:51By law, trucks must have marker lights
01:54that clearly show their full length, width and height
01:57from every angle, day or night.
01:59If a truck doesn't meet these lighting rules,
02:01it can't legally be on the road.
02:04If it's good enough for trucks,
02:05it's good enough for trains.
02:07If those changes had been made back then,
02:10we would still have our family members today.
02:12Instead, we have to watch on
02:14while other families go through
02:15these completely preventable tragedies.
02:17Something as simple, as cheap and affordable
02:21as a beacon light
02:22could have saved three precious, beautiful lives
02:24in our particular crash.
02:27Over the years, there's been far too many tragedies
02:30at level crossings around Australia.
02:32And on behalf of the many families
02:34and communities affected,
02:36I really do appeal to our government
02:38and to industry to support
02:40mandatory safety lighting on all trains.
03:16Authorised by Lara Jensen, Mount Magnet.
03:18The
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