Awareness campaign to reduce vehicle, train crashes

By Nthambeleni Gabara

Pretoria – In an effort to raise awareness and prevent crashes between motorists and trains, stakeholders in the railway sector are to launch the 2009 Festive Season Safety Awareness Campaign on Thursday.

The campaign is expected to educate the public with the aim of reducing loss of life, harm to people, crime as well as damage to infrastructure and property in and near South Africa’s railways.

Focus will be placed on level crossings, vandalism, fare evasion, staff riding, muggings and theft onboard trains and near stations, cable theft and pedestrians illegally crossing railway lines and trespassing on railway lines.

The launch will be held at the level crossing in Rondebult, following recent fatal accidents in the area, which involved motorists and trains.

The campaign is a joint effort of the South African Police Service (SAPS) through the Railway Police, the Department of Transport through its Arrive Alive campaign, the Railway Safety Regulator, Transnet Freight Rail, Passenger Rail Agency of South Africa (PRASA) and community organisations

The campaign will be rolled out across the country starting with the Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal, Free State and the Eastern Cape throughout December and into January next year.

It forms part of a 365 days a year programme, which has been marked by heightened communication at peak times such as the festive season and the yearly periods of back to school, tourism and worker migration. - BuaNews