Two separate crashes involving utes and passenger trains in South Australia and Queensland have sparked fresh warnings over dangerous behaviour at rail crossings.

In South Australia, about 3pm on Friday 24 April, police and emergency services were called to a level crossing on Foster Pl at Goolwa after an Isuzu ute collided with the historic Cockle Train.

The 61‑year‑old local driver and passengers on board the tourist service were uninjured.

He was reported for failing to give way, and his ute — which sustained extensive damage — was towed from the scene. Rail lines were inspected and services resumed about 5pm on Friday.

The Cockle Train is a heritage rail service that runs between Goolwa and Victor Harbor, offering coastal tourist trips along the historic rail corridor.

The group of volunteers running the service, the Steamranger Heritage railway, has confirmed its holiday services continue.

Just a week earlier, around 12.30am on Friday 17 April, emergency services were called to a rural rail crossing west of Toowoomba after a ute smashed into the side of a moving passenger train.

It’s understood the vehicle became airborne before striking the right‑hand side of the train, tearing into the baggage compartment.

All 34 passengers escaped injury, but Queensland Police said the timing was frighteningly close to disaster.

“If it had been probably a second difference or earlier, he probably would have gone in front of a train and it would have had tragic consequences,” Senior Sergeant Rod Gray told 7NEWS.

Police and rail businesses say the consequences of a split‑second mistake can be catastrophic and that near‑misses at rail crossings are becoming increasingly common.

Aurizon is Australia’s largest rail freight operator and in 2025 shared confronting examples of what can happen when drivers ignore level crossings.

One of their drivers Grant Hewett recalled one of the near misses he’s had with cars.

“I can still picture it clear as day. The car with the lady rushing past and that baby still in that little capsule, had a little white single and in the nappy,” he said.

“I can still picture that quite clearly as it disappeared under the front of the locomotive.

“We must have I missed it by probably a metre or so. If our reaction time had not been what it was, I think we probably would have hit that car and probably could have been two fatalities that day very easily.”