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Motorists and pedestrians are still risking their lives and those of other road and rail users by routinely ignoring basic safety at level crossings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFlrhheF2Lw

Officers are carrying out additional high-visibility patrols at crossings in a week of action which starts on Monday, 2 February 2015.

^Operation Look^ will see BTP joined by Network Rail colleagues in an awareness campaign backed by the AA and the RAC. We will be releasing a number of clips of incidents at level crossings to coincide with the week of action.

Inspector Becky Warren said: ^All too often people get into the habit of taking risks at crossings. Our message is simple ^ use crossings safely.

^It may be tempting to jump a light to shave a minute or two off your journey, but every time you do, you endanger your life and the lives of other road and rail users.

^Fail to obey the signals and you may also end up with a driving ban or a criminal record. Is it really worth the risk?^

Officers fleet of Mobile Safety Vehicles will be stationed at crossings across the country during the week. The vans utilise the latest in Automatic Number Plate Recognition, allowing us to monitor crossings more closely than ever before.

Darren Furness, head of level crossings for Network Rail said: "Level crossings create a risk for people that we want to remove. Where possible we close them, and we have already closed more than 900 in the past five years.

^Those we cannot close we aim to make safer and awareness events like these mean we can meet and talk to motorists, cyclists and pedestrians about the dangers and how to stay safe."

See our Level Crossing Safety (http://www.btp.police.uk/advice_and_info/travelling_safely/level_crossing_safety.aspx) page for more information.