Pedestrian safety near light rail crossings

At UNSW, we are commited to ensuring your safety on and off campus. We encourage you to do your part by being alert, especially around light rail crossings.

Why are pedestrians at greater risk?

Each year, around 50 pedestrians are killed and over 1000 are hospitalised on NSW roads.

Pedestrians are the most vulnerable in crashes, since an unprotected body can only tolerate so much force. In fact, you are twice as likely to be fatally injured by a car travelling at 50km/h than at 40km/h.

Light rails pose an even greater risk, since they are much heavier than cars and take longer to stop.

Four simple things you can do to stay safe:

1. Be aware of your surroundings near roads and light rail crossings.
2. Avoid rushing to cross the road when you see a light rail or vehicle coming.
3. Use pedestrian crossings where possible and wait for the walk signal to turn green at traffic lights.
4. If there are no pedestrian crossings, make sure to stop, look, listen, think and only cross if it's safe.

Last edited on 4 November 2025