Near misses spike on Melbourne's train network as teens run across tracks

Near misses are spiking across Melbourne's train network as young people put their lives at risk.

Metro has told 9News one in 10 teenagers are running across the tracks while the boom gates are down.

Footage released by Metro shows two boys jump onto the tracks in front of a train pulling into Laverton station in Melbourne's west.

LIVE UPDATES: Major moments from the Met Gala as they happen

One dawdles to the central platform, where they pull themselves up with a second to spare, dropping a bottle onto the tracks, and almost getting hit by the train's mirror.

They then board the train heading in the other direction.

Train driver Jason Heck was at the controls.

"If they had tripped over and not made it to the other side, they would have been hit or under the train," he said.

He's been driving trains for a decade and knows near misses are becoming more common.

"It can be quite confronting. It's scary," he said.

IN PICTURES: See all the celebrity looks on the Met Gala red carpet

"In 2023, we saw 445 near miss incidents and that went up to 624 last year," head of stations Chloe Smith said.

That's a 40 per cent increase in just 12 months.

And young people are partly to blame.

In 2023, there were 52 near misses involving under 18s.

In 2024, that jumped to 82, up 57 per cent.

READ MORE: 'Can't imagine the heartbreak': Two boys found dead inside NSW home

"It's a concern for their safety because these behaviours often lead to serious injuries and sometimes to death," Smith said.

"But it's also a huge risk to our team because they're exposed to these traumatic events and have to deal with the consequences."

Metro's safety teams visit hundreds of schools a year.

But its data shows children are continuing to take risks around level crossings.

READ MORE: SA community mourning best mates killed in 'horrible' car crash

One in 10 has run across the tracks while the boom gates are down.

"The train network isn't a playground and it's absolutely not worth risking your life for a shortcut," Smith said.

"At the end of the day, it is one of the stupidest things you can do because someone is going to have to go around your house and explain to your family," train driver Heck added.