The week, which runs through to Sunday, aims to warn Australians to be safe around tracks and trains or risk becoming another 'near hit' statistic.

While the incident is still being investigated, the warnings are timely after an 18-year-old man had his right leg severed below the knee when he was struck by a train at Dubbo early on Saturday morning.

TrackSAFE Foundation patron Tim Fischer said there were more than 1000 near hits on Australian railway lines every year and he pleaded with people to consider the impact a near hit had not only on the person on the track but the train driver in the cabin as well.

"In reality, these 1000 near hits show us that 1000 people could have ruined their own life, as well as the lives of the train driver, scene attendants, witnesses and their family," he said.

"A rail accident affects more than just you and that's the message the industry is trying to get across this Rail Safety Week."

Each month the Independent Transport Safety Regulator received up to 10 reports of near hits from train drivers at NSW level crossings.

TrainLink chief executive of NSW Rob Mason said with about 3800 railway crossings across the state, most in regional NSW, there were serious consequences for motorists and pedestrians who ignored safety alerts.

"Last year alone there were more than 670 incidents of trespass on rail property, threatening the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists," he said.

He said it took up to 570 metres for a passenger train travelling at 100km/h to stop, and trains could not just swerve to miss a pedestrian.

"Pedestrians should wait for the lights to stop flashing, then stop, look both ways, listen for trains and think if it is safe to cross or not," Mr Mason said.

Motorists caught disobeying level crossing signals faced a three demerit-point penalty and a $405 fine.

Western Region Cluster Senior Supervisor Senior Sergeant Mal Unicomb said complacency was a big issue when it came to motorists, pedestrians and rail tracks in the state's west.

"A lot of rail lines seldom see rail traffic on them," he said.

Research also showed 57 per cent of collisions involved motorists who lived within 10 kilometres of a level crossing.

Senior Sergeant Unicomb said there were still reports of people going through boom gates and flashing lights.

"But hopefully with the campaigns we've been running for some time now people are becoming more aware of the dangers involved," he said.

Police would be patrolling train lines, rail corridors and level crossings for illegal and dangerous activity.

Last year NSW Police took action against 392 people for level crossing traffic offences, an increase of 45 per cent from 2012. They detected level crossing offences at about 100 individual sites spread over 64 towns.

In 2013 there were also 93 people arrested and 208 infringements issued for pedestrians entering rail corridors and/or crossing running lines.