Sidebar menu
Not following rail signal indications
When a train passes a stop signal without proper authorisation (a ‘Signal Passed at Danger’ or SPAD), it risks derailment and/or collision with other rail vehicles and track workers.
In New Zealand, the system for ensuring a train remains only in authorised areas of the track depends primarily on human interpretation of signal indications and compliance with them. The Transport Accident Investigation Commission has inquired into accidents and incidents showing there are inconsistencies in the way train crews recognise and follow signals. Fatigue, inadequate training, distraction, or misunderstanding can lead to missed signal indications, creating a risk of collision and/or derailment with consequences that can be severe. Engineering controls help to mitigate this risk.