The Gerogery level crossing accident was a vehicle-train crash that occurred at Bells Road on the Olympic Highway, where it crossed the Main Southern railway in Gerogery, New South Wales, Australia. The crash occurred on 27 January 2001 at 16:07 and resulted in five fatalities in a car that was struck by a Melbourne-bound XPT service travelling at 160 kmh. Although the train derailed in the impact, there were no deaths to the train passengers or crew. The crash site extended for more than 1 km south of the level crossing, with vehicle, train and rail track debris found throughout. There had been a continuing series of crashes at the level crossing prior to the fatal crash, resulting in the local road and rail authorities installing perceptual countermeasures such as warning signs and enhanced road markings in attempts to provide more information to drivers of the crossing location and characteristics and to influence vehicle approach speeds. A tragic occurrence, the Gerogery level crossing accident served as a focal point for the commencement of reforms to the design, operation and management of railway level crossings across Australia. This reform process is continuing. Location Far from being a typical level crossing where a straight road crosses a straight railway line, the Gerogery level crossing was a more complicated road-rail interface involving an important main road (the Olympic Highway), another minor road, and the railway line (the Main Southern railway): the main road had an at-grade intersection with the single track railway at the level crossing. the road did a sharp left and right bends, with the approach from the north on the western side of the railway line, turning and traversing the line before turning again to run south on the eastern side of the railway line. the dog leg, or section of the road that traversed the railway line, ran roughly east–west and may have put the sun in drivers' eyes during sunrise and sunset in the summer months. because of the road delineation and bends, the red flashing lights warning of the imminent approach of a train could not properly point and provide sufficient warning to drivers on the main road and minor road approaches. the five young men killed, teenagers from Wagga Wagga, had all recently received their driving licences. the crossing had no boomgates, as these were only considered necessary where there were two or more tracks, and