Aurizon Holdings Limited has launched a new safety campaign titled "Respect the Sign, Lives are on the Line" as part of National Rail Safety Week. The initiative aims to raise awareness about level crossing safety. Train driver Grant Hewett, based in Gladstone, shared a harrowing near-miss experience in Central Queensland where a train he was operating narrowly avoided a collision with a trailer carrying a low-loader excavator at a road crossing. This event underscores the critical need for greater public awareness regarding the stopping distances of trains, which can span up to 1900 meters. Aurizon emphasizes that once an emergency stop is initiated, train operators are unable to take evasive action, highlighting the importance of caution at level crossings. The company, Australia's largest rail freight business, operates nationwide and employs a significant portion of its workforce in regional communities.