Transnet Freight Rail (TFR) will embark on a National Level Crossing and Safety Awareness campaign from October 12 to 16.
TFR and other stakeholders will go out to designated level crossings, as well as illegal level crossings, where safety teams will engage motorists, pedestrians and communities residing along the rail infrastructure on safety awareness.
The campaign involves the distribution of safety materials and educating the public about behaviours that render them vulnerable to what are often fatal incidents on rail tracks.
Transnet will work with the Rail Safety Regulator, the Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa, the Rapid Rail Police, the Metro Police, fire departments, community forums and the Department of Transport on the campaign.
TFR stresses the importance of exercising patience at level crossings and always obeying traffic laws governing rail level crossings, as well as not becoming complacent when approaching crossings.
It encourages people to stop and to look both ways for oncoming trains before crossing.
Given their weight and braking mechanisms, trains cannot swerve to avoid accidents and require a full kilometre to come to a complete standstill.