IN the past five years there have been three collisions and near 30 impacts at Stop sign crossings across regional Victoria.
In response to these alarming statistics, and to target drivers who fail to stop and look for trains at Stop sign crossings, the state government is rolling out a new safety campaign entitled, Obey the Stop Signs.
With 20 of Victoria’s 1,700 public road level crossings without lights, bells or boom gates, the new campaign will see motorists fined as much as $3,698 and lose three demerit points if they are caught breaking road rules around stop sign crossings.
Visible across all media, the new campaign will remind drivers that they must come to a complete stop at a stop sign railway crossing and when approaching a Give Way crossing, must slow down and check for trains.
While the Obey the Stop Sign campaign will encourage safe driving behaviour around crossings, the Labor Government will invest in upgrades across the state, fitting boom barriers, flashing lights and bells to regional crossings as well as installing automatic gates. The government will also build new fencing and provide other improvements to pedestrian crossings.
