Nearly 200 people risked life and limb on railway crossings in Queensland this past year, with the release of footage showing just how close some motorists, pedestrians and cyclists came to disaster.
Queensland Rail said many of the near misses involved school students or workers dashing to catch the train or to try and beat the boom gates.
In one incident recorded at Coopers Plains station in August, a car speeding through a rail crossing clips a closing boom gate, knocking it out of place.
At Sunshine station in the same month, a distracted pedestrian almost walked into the path of a train before realising their mistake.
Acting Transport Minister Mark Ryan said there were still "too many people taking risks around level crossing".
"People have got to remember that they aren't Superman. They are not more powerful than a locomotive," Mr Ryan said.
Mr Ryan said the release of the footage was a timely reminder for parents, students and other road-users to take extra care on roads, particularly around railway crossings, ahead of the start of the 2018 school year next week.
"It may seem like a good idea to try and beat the boom gates, or to push through pedestrian gates to try and make your train, but with trains on the Queensland Rail network travelling up to 140 kilometres per hour and unable to quickly stop or swerve, it can take only a matter of seconds for a near miss to turn into a tragedy," he said.
"Absolutely every near miss Queensland Rail experienced last year was avoidable, so we're urging road users to stay safe in 2018, obey the signs and signals in place and ensure you're setting the right example for those around you, particularly students who can often be impressionable."
Mr Ryan asked parents to take the time to ensure their children know how to keep safe on their way to school, particularly if they're catching public transport, walking or cycling independently to school for the first time.
"I also want to ask motorists travelling home after spending time away during the holidays to avoid the fatal five — distraction, speeding, drink and drug driving, failure to wear a seatbelt and driving while fatigued — so they arrive home safely."
Late last month Queensland Rail released CCTV footage showing a series of incidents where inebriated commuters either slipped, tripped or fell at its train stations.
