Signals passed at danger are the new item of priority safety concern in the Transport Accident Investigation Commission’s Watchlist 2026, published today.
The Commission conducts independent investigations to help the transport sector avoid repeat accidents. It does not focus on blame.
The Commission is calling for engineering controls and effective regulatory oversight to reduce the risk of trains entering sections of track without authority, potentially causing collisions and derailments. Engineering controls are safety systems that can intervene automatically to prevent accidents.
Watchlist 2026 also identifies recreational boating knowledge and impairment concerns, calls for coordinated action at level crossings, and reflects the lack of additional helicopter mast bumping accidents since the Commission last reported on the matter back in 2020.
Chief Commissioner David Clarke says the Commission creates a new Watchlist every two years, using its investigations and current evidence to identify the safety issues requiring of greatest and most immediate concern to the Commission.
“Each Watchlist reflects the evidence and priorities of its time. It directs attention to safety problems that need action.”
A signal passed at danger, or SPAD, occurs when a train passes a signal requiring it to stop without authority to proceed. KiwiRail’s mainline SPAD rate almost doubled between 2020 and 2025, reaching 3.2 per million kilometres in 2025 against a benchmark of 1.0.
Some parts of New Zealand’s rail network and locomotive fleet have engineering protection against unauthorised movements. However, coverage is incomplete, and there is no regulatory requirement for these controls to be in place.
“The rail system relies too heavily on people always getting it right. Human errors will happen, so engineering controls are needed to stop those errors becoming accidents,” said Mr Clarke. “Rules and training are essential. Engineering controls add protection when fatigue, distraction or misunderstanding affect someone’s decisions.”
The Commission has recommended that KiwiRail introduce engineering safety controls where none currently exist, and that the New Zealand Transport Agency and the Ministry of Transport (now Ministry for Cities, Environment, Regions and Transport (MCERT)) ensure effective system safety oversight.
Watchlist 2026 addresses recreational boating knowledge, skills and impairment together in one concern. The Commission has called for skippers to be sure that they have and can demonstrate essential knowledge and skills.
“A skipper’s knowledge and judgement matter to everyone on board. As the boating season gets going, people heading out on the water should be able to trust that the skipper knows the rules and is fit to take charge. Skipper licensing and boat registration would provide practical ways to set clear expectations and check that they are met.”
Wearing a lifejacket can make the difference between life and death when a boat capsizes suddenly. The new requirement in law for everyone on recreational craft six metres or less to wear a properly fitted lifejacket while underway is a good step towards safer boating.
“More needs to be done to ensure skippers know the rules, have the skills to keep people safe and are fit to take charge.”
The Watchlist repeats recommendations for maximum alcohol limits, prohibiting operation while impaired by drugs, and post-occurrence testing.
“Use of alcohol and drugs can impair people’s abilities to control a vessel and can reduce people’s chances of surviving in the water,” said Mr Clarke.
The road-rail interface is another priority concern. Regulators, rail operators and road controlling authorities need to cooperate on crossing design, clear sight lines and effective traffic management for nearby road works.
“A level crossing needs everyone involved in the road and rail systems to work together – so clear responsibilities and coordinated action are essential.”
Watchlist 2026 also identifies safety for workers in the rail corridor and technologies to track and locate.
Mast bumping with Robinson helicopters is not among the priority concerns identified in Watchlist 2026. TAIC’s most recent inquiry concerned a 2018 accident, with the report published in 2020.
“Safety actions have been taken, and the registered Robinson fleet is substantially smaller; both likely contributing to the reduction in reported mast bumping occurrences in New Zealand,” said Mr Clarke. “While the Commission does not consider that the risk has been eliminated, it does not currently regard mast bumping in Robinson helicopters to be among the greatest and most immediate safety concerns in the New Zealand transport system.
“Each Watchlist reflects our current most significant safety concerns priorities. It does not certify an aircraft type as safe.”
All items in the Watchlist are available on the TAIC website: https://taic.org.nz/watchlist