AT least one Victorian a day is fined for playing railway roulette on a level crossing, shocking police statistics reveal.
The Herald Sun reports officers issued more than 520 fines for level-crossing offences in 2011-12.
Most - 396 - were for failing to stop or give way at a crossing, which attracts a $704 fine and the loss of four demerit points.
The offender's car is also impounded.
The Greater Dandenong area, which includes the Abbotts Rd crossing in Dandenong South where a truck and train were involved in a fatal smash last month, was the top spot for fines, with 48. Kingston (44 fines) and Boroondara (43) rounded out the top three.
State Highway Patrol Insp David Griffin said too many people did the wrong thing at crossings.
"Any is too many when you think about the significance of that offence ... the results can be catastrophic," Insp Griffin said.
"If a train is travelling at 60km/h, it is going to take about 250m to stop and it can't take any evasive action other than braking."
He said police got reports of motorists driving around faulty lowered boom gates. Drivers justified it by saying they went slowly.
"What is the situation if there is a train there and it is too late?" Insp Griffin said.
He said 54 pedestrians and motorists were hit by trains in Victoria last financial year - including 24 pedestrian deaths. A total of 1794 level crossing-related fines were issued in the past three financial years.
Read more at the Herald Sun.
