Source : Perth Now news
Hair-raising clips of near misses on Sydney’s tram network have been revealed by NSW authorities in a push to get motorists and pedestrians to pay attention and practice safety.
The clips show 4WDs, sedans, people walking and food delivery cyclists coming within centimetres of violent collisions as tram drivers slam on their brakes.
“These moments are hard to watch when the difference between a near miss and something much worse can be measured in centimetres and milliseconds,” NSW Transport Minister John Graham said.
“Light rail vehicles weigh the equivalent of 60 cars, they can’t swerve and they take time to come to a stop.
“Every one of these close calls is avoidable and we urge people to follow the road rules, remain alert, and not distracted by your phone.”
There have been eight collisions and 127 near misses on the four light rail lines in Sydney and Parramatta from January to the end of April according to figures from the state government.
Two pedestrians have died in the past three years in incidents involving Sydney’s light rail network. In both instances, the person tried to go over the coupling holding two tram carriages together.
At least one of the clips released on Sunday shows a person absent-mindedly walking across tram tracks while staring at their phone. Other clips show vehicles cutting across moving trams, and other footage shows people on bikes barely missing being hit.
Another clip shows a man running to essentially overtake the tram, cutting off the tram and continuing to run off.
Transport for NSW co-ordinator-general Howard Collins said “this footage should be a real wake-up call for people”.
“We want everyone to understand that safe behaviour around light rail isn’t optional. Taking an extra moment to look, listen and obey signals can prevent injury,” he said.
