South Australia is grappling with a troubling upward trend in dangerous close calls between trains and road users, newly released government data and compiled security footage have revealed. Released to mark national Rail Safety Week, the collection of closed-circuit and on-train footage captures a series of heart-stopping near-disasters that have underscored growing risks along the state’s busiest commuter rail lines.
In one of the most viral clips from the compilation, a woman hesitates mid-step while crossing active tracks before reaching the opposite side, only for a speeding passenger train to emerge from around a bend mere seconds after she clears the rail bed. A second incident shows a cyclist darting across tracks just as an oncoming train approaches at full speed, narrowly escaping a catastrophic collision. These clips are far from isolated: official statistics for the 2025-26 fiscal year show 163 dangerous near-miss incidents were recorded across Adelaide’s Metro rail network, marking a 4% year-on-year increase. That works out to an average of one near-disaster every two days.
The data also pinpoints one particularly high-risk corridor: the Gawler line, which connects central Adelaide to growing northern suburban communities including Elizabeth, Mawson Lakes and Salisbury. The busy commuter line accounted for 72 of the state’s total near-miss incidents, or 44% of all cases, with incidents jumping more than 20% compared to the previous year. In a contrasting trend, Adelaide’s tram network recorded a major 30% drop in near-miss incidents over the same period.
Further breakdown of the data reveals other alarming patterns. Incidents at designated pedestrian rail crossings jumped 54% to 98 total cases in 2025-26. Cyclists were involved in 35% of all recorded near-misses, and the most dangerous window for risky behavior around tracks falls between 7pm and 8pm daily.
South Australia’s Transport Minister Joe Szakacs described the compiled footage of near-misses as truly terrifying, warning that reckless behavior around rail lines carries far-reaching consequences for entire communities. “The irresponsible actions by a few reckless individuals can have a lasting impact on those around them,” Szakacs said. “We are seeing an alarming rise in these close calls which can have a traumatic effect on our train drivers and cause injuries to passengers when emergency brakes are activated.”
Szakacs emphasized that the timing of the public release of footage and data is intentional, coinciding with Rail Safety Week to remind commuters and local residents of the deadly risks of distraction and impatience around active rail lines. He urged all people crossing tracks to remove headphones, put away mobile devices, and stay fully focused on their surroundings to avoid preventable tragedies.