'Mind-blowing' near misses along Adelaide rail lines prompt plea to pedestrians

Adelaide's metropolitan rail lines reported 163 near misses in the past year, marking a 4% increase. Pedestrians were responsible for 60% of these incidents, with cyclists accounting for 35%. Transport officials have expressed concern over risky behavior and emphasized the importance of pedestrians paying attention. A single line accounted for nearly half of all reported near misses.

Pedestrians were involved in 98 of the 163 near misses, while cyclists were involved in nearly 60. The Gawler line saw 72 near misses, while the Belair line also experienced an increase in incidents. The Seaford and Outer Harbor lines saw reductions in near misses. The South Australian government released video footage showing several alarming incidents, including a cyclist veering off at the last moment and a pedestrian moving out of the way.

SA Transport Minister Joe Szakacs warned against distracted pedestrians, stating that their actions put lives at risk. In his brief tenure as minister, he has witnessed numerous troubling CCTV footage of people who are not paying attention. One of the most alarming incidents involves people wearing headphones while walking through crossings.

Train driver Ben Hemmerling reported that risk-taking behavior includes pedestrians attempting to push through automatic barriers at pedestrian crossings. Train drivers urged people to "think twice" before attempting to beat the train, emphasizing the potential consequences if a train fails to stop. While near misses increased along rail lines, the tram network saw a 30% reduction in incidents, from 165 to 113.