Reckless Britons are dicing with death by putting themselves at risk on level crossings, including a dad who allowed his children to play on live railway tracks.
As part of a safety warning made on Monday (August 14), rail network chiefs have released CCTV footage which shows people risking their lives at level crossings in Worcestershire and the West Midlands.
Shocking footage shows a father letting his two young girls play on a railway line as he points out the “pretty hills” in the distance on April 3.
The three were caught on camera for more than 90 seconds with the dad seen checking his phone even after his daughter tells him “a train is coming”.
In another troubling clip, a boy does one-armed press-ups in the middle of a crossing as loud music plays in the background.
A third clip shows a walker forcing two dogs to sit in the middle of a railway line as a second person takes a photo.
Another video shows a schoolboy on a scooter rushing in front of an oncoming train which thunders by just a few seconds later on May 18.
Other children were captured putting ballast stones on the track so they are run over by trains.
Network Rail said the six shocking incidents included in its video are just a handful of examples of dangerous behaviour.
It said almost 50 cases of misuse have been either reported by train drivers or caught on hidden cameras in Worcestershire and the West Midlands so far in 2023.
Alexandra France, Network Rail Level Crossing Safety Manager, said: “I can’t downplay the danger they were in – with serious injury or worse a huge possibility.
“No matter how well you think you know a crossing, all users must obey the rules around using level crossings every time they use it. It just really isn’t worth the risk.”
Network Rail level crossing safety teams are visiting the problem crossings to warn people of the dangers.
