Crash victim Margaret Moffatt’s family speak on railway safety, six months after the accident
Margaret Moffatt and Ron Matthews had their lives cut short in February when their car collided with a moving train near Mallala. Ms Moffatt’s daughter has spoken to The Advertiser for Rail Safety Week, urging motorists to drive with care.
SA News
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When Amy Slattery watched her 14-month-old daughter Isla-Rose take her first steps, she could not help but think of how happy her mother would have been if she were there to see it.
Margaret Moffatt and her partner Ron Matthews were killed when their Ford four-wheel-drive collided with a train at the Old Dublin Road level crossing near Mallala in February.
Ms Moffatt, 66, and Mr Matthews, 73, who were preparing a caravan trip around Australia, were dropping their dog to a friend’s house before a weekend getaway when their lives were cut short. In Rail Safety Week, Ms Slattery is urging road users to be vigilant when driving near level crossings, saying one moment of inattention can cost a life.
“There’s still tears every day and moments every day obviously that I think about mum and miss her,” Ms Slattery said.
The Seacliff Park woman said Isla-Rose missed her nana too.
“She started walking last week,” she said.
“There’s just all these things that moment has now taken away that she’s just not here for.
“Just that one moment of inattention … just takes away a lifetime of experiences for the family and friends.” Ms Slattery and her husband Luke recently found out they are expecting their second child in January. She said it was bittersweet.
Ms Slattery said families should be aware when driving near level crossings, as crashes can happen to anyone. “Its one of those things that you think ‘it couldn’t happen to us’,” she said.
Ms Slattery supported the addition of boom gates to all train and tram crossings to prevent more heartache.
“You can’t be safe enough,” she said. “If there was something at every crossing, it wouldn’t have happened.”
For Rail Safety Week, SA Police, TrackSAFE Foundation and Adelaide Metro are working to raise awareness of risks.
Police Minister Vincent Tarzia said the 83 reported vehicle and pedestrian-related collisions at train and tram crossings in the last year were too many.
Acting Assistant Police Commissioner John De Candia said trains and trams were much quieter than people expected.
“So it is of vital importance that commuters’ No 1 priority is their safety around the rail network,” he said.
“A moment of inattention around level crossings can have a devastating impact on many families.”
Thousands dice with death at crossings
- Steve Rice
More than 2300 motorists were caught running red lights and warning bells at rail crossings, or queuing over train and tram lines, last financial year, police figures show.
The risky behaviour has prompted South Australia’s peak motoring body to make a call during Rail Safety Week for drivers to obey the law at level crossings to reduce road trauma.
Police figures analysed by the RAA show fixed traffic cameras captured 1781 motorists driving through level crossings, while red lights and warning bells were operating in 2019-20.
Drivers were fined more than $975,000, with the highest number of offences at Leader Street, Goodwood (988), Womma Road, Elizabeth (398) and Cormack Road, Wingfield (254).
Police also detected 542 offences at level crossings, including failing to halt at stop signs (472), entering a crossing when the lights/bells were operating (53) and entering a blocked level crossing (six).
Almost a third of those offences resulted in drivers being fined, totalling more than $86,000, while the rest received cautions.
RAA road safety and infrastructure senior manager Charles Mountain urged motorists to be patient when trains and trams were moving through level crossings.
“Motorists shouldn’t try to beat the lights or queue over a level crossing ...,” he said.
“Many crossings in the more remote areas of the state do not have boom gates or lights and are controlled by signs that either require you to stop when there is a train approaching or stop, irrespective of whether there is a train approaching.”