RO-1997-102 Freight train 270, collision with roadroller, Mangapehi, 12 March 1997

On Wednesday, 12 March 1997, at about 1615 hours a roadroller entered State Highway 30 from a side road to cross Bennydale Road level crossing at Mangapehi, and moved onto the level crossing ahead of an approaching train. The level crossing alarms were operating. The driver of the roadroller was killed in the resulting collision. The cause was the driver's apparent failure to see or hear the warning devices. A safety issue identified was the suitability of control procedures for the movement of roadrollers and similar machines over level crossings.