Campaign overview

Every year, New Zealanders are injured or killed at railway level crossings. Rail Safety Week is a national campaign that encourages everyone to take a moment, look for trains and cross safely.

This year the week is being held from Monday 10 August - Sunday 17 August.

Be a trainspotter when you cross

The campaign encourages motorists, cyclists and pedestrians to stop, pause and actively look for trains before crossing railway tracks. Rather than focusing on what people should not do, the campaign promotes a simple, positive action that everyone can take to stay safe.

Inspired by the familiarity of trainspotting culture, the campaign reframes "trainspotting" as a practical safety behaviour. The message is straightforward: before you cross, be a trainspotter.

The essential look

This year's campaign introduces a distinctive fashion-inspired creative approach. Using fashion language and bold imagery, the campaign presents safe crossing behaviour as the "essential look" everyone should adopt at railway crossings.

Campaign headlines include:

• The essential look when you cross.
• Turn heads when you look both ways.
• Trainspotting is always in vogue.
• Give the train your best look.

These creative lines support the campaign's core call to action: Be a trainspotter when you cross.

Why this approach?

Some safety campaigns rely on warnings, statistics or graphic consequences. Rail Safety Week 2026 takes a different approach by using unexpected fashion-inspired imagery and language to capture attention and encourage people to engage with the message.

The campaign also reinforces the behaviour it wants people to adopt. Fashion is all about looking, noticing and observing, making it a natural fit for a campaign focused on looking for trains before crossing. Repeating this "look" message helps strengthen recall and encourages safer habits.

Most importantly, the campaign presents rail safety as something positive and achievable. Taking a moment to look for trains is a simple action that can make a life-saving difference.

A simple moment of attention

The campaign imagery focuses on people actively checking for trains as they cross railway tracks. Whether travelling by car, bike or on foot, the message is the same: pause, look and make sure it's safe to cross.

Rail Safety Week 2026 is a reminder that a simple moment of attention can prevent serious harm. Before you cross, be a trainspotter.

Learn more about Rail Safety Week and how you can support the campaign by following TrackSAFE NZ and KiwiRail on social media throughout the week.

All digital resources are freely available for use on the KiwiRail website here.