More than 50 incidents at level crossings this year shows 'worrying' trend

A screenshot of one of the incidents Iarnród Éireann shared as part of a video to mark International Level Crossing Awareness Day.

Iarnród Éireann has urged the public to take extra care when travelling near level crossings, as new statistics show a 74% increase in incidents at crossings so far this year.

Since January, there have been 54 traffic incidents at level crossings around the country, up from the 31 reported over the same period in 2021. 

The company says the increase is "significant" and "particularly worrying" due to the fact many of the incidents have been shared widely on social media.

To mark International Level Crossing Awareness Day (ILCAD) on Thursday, Iarnród Éireann has also released a video of some potentially dangerous incidents recorded at level crossings here.

The first clip shows a cyclist attempting to rush through a closing level crossing barrier before colliding with it head-on. He is then helped below the barrier by two pedestrians.

In another clip, a tractor hauling a large consignment of hay bales speeds through level-crossing barriers, breaking two of them in the process.

You can watch the footage below:

Iarnród Éireann has also shared the list of the ten level crossings where the majortiy of these dangerous incidents have occurred.

Of these, nine are located in Dublin and one is in Cork.

They are:

• Lansdowne Road;
• Serpentine Ave; 
• Sandymount Ave;
• Sutton;
• Bray; 
• Merrion Gates;  
• Baldoyle Road;  
• Coolmine Cosh (between Sutton and Howth); 
• Sydney Parade;
• and Banteer in Cork 

According to the company, there are 909 manned, unmanned, and automated level-crossings on the Iarnród Éireann network, down from a total of about 2,000 or so in the year 2000.

An estimated 300 people are killed at level crossings across Europe each year, and while Ireland has not recorded a level-crossing fatality in 12 years, Iarnród Éireann has urged road users to exercise caution when passing through them.

“The number of incidents is is still too high," said Iarnród Éireann CEO Jim Meade. "In recent months, we have had a number of very worrying collisions at level crossings."

He appealed to all road users to obey the following rules of the roads at level crossings:

• At automatic crossings: stop safely when the warning lights begin to flash. Never go through crossings when barriers are about to lower, or lowering.
• At staff-operated crossings: respect gatekeepers, whose role is to ensure your safety and that of rail users. Stop immediately when the gatekeeper requests it.
• At user-operated crossings: Always stop before crossing to check the line, check the line again after crossing, and always close the gate after use for your safety and that of others.

"There really is no room for complacency when it comes to level crossings because if you take risks at level crossings you are gambling with your life and potentially others," said Road Safety Authority Chief Sam Waide.

"The purpose of an awareness day for safety at level crossings is to make all road users aware of the real dangers posed due to carelessness at railway level crossings, especially when using unattended Railway Level Crossings."