Network Rail yesterday issued a stark warning that drivers were continuing to dice with death by ignoring warning signs and barriers at level crossings - on the day another motorist was killed.

Network Rail yesterday issued a stark warning that drivers were continuing to dice with death by ignoring warning signs and barriers at level crossings - on the day another motorist was killed.

The organisation, which is responsible for rail infrastructure, yesterday launched a TV and radio advertising campaign warning of the dangers of level crossing misuse.

With at least 13 collisions between road vehicles and trains this year, Britain is on course for a four-year high of level crossing incidents.

That figure rose yesterday after a motorist died when his car was hit by a train on a level crossing at Wrays holme near Flookburgh in Cumbria. The car was struck by the 9.37am Carlisle to Lancaster service, travelling at about 50mph. There were no reported injuries to the 32 passengers on the train.

It is the second accident at the level crossing this year, after a Land Rover was hit by a train in February. Two men were injured in that incident.

So far this year there have been five incidents in Scotland, including one in May when a train struck a vehicle at Bunchrew automatic open level crossing - which has lights but no barriers - between Inverness and Beauly. The driver of the vehicle was seriously injured and required hospital treatment and was subsequently charged.

A heavier price was paid in February last year, when a car carrying three 17-year-old passengers collided with a train at the unmanned crossing at Delny, near Invergordon. Two of the teenagers died as a result and the car driver was jailed for five years.

Twelve people have been killed on level crossings in Britain this year and 30 since 2006. According to Network Rail, 95% of accidents at level crossings are caused by misuse or error such as drivers ignoring red signals, barriers and klaxons.

Between January and September this year, there were 2636 incidents of misuse at Britain's level crossings but Network Rail said that those were only the ones recorded, with the true figure much higher.

There were nearly 900 incidents involving a vehicle, with 128 categorised as a "near miss", where a collision with a train and serious injury or even death was narrowly avoided. Pedestrians, too, were running the risk at level crossings, with more than 200 near misses this year.

Network Rail chief executive Iain Coucher said: "Level crossings are safe but tragically it is unsafe driver behaviour that causes accidents and deaths. Every week three motorists risk their lives and those of others by abusing level crossings. We have a simple message to all: don't run the risk."

Other incidents in Scotland this year in which a road vehicle and train have collided include one on January 4, when a locomotive struck a trailer of potatoes on Whitemoss level crossing near Perth.

The trailer became stuck on the automatic half-barrier crossing due to ice on the road. The train driver was taken to hospital with back injuries; the driver of the vehicle towing the trailer was not injured.

On April 16, a 4x4 vehicle struck the side of a train at the automatic open level crossing at Kinbrace in Sutherland. Nobody was injured, but the motorist was charged following incident.

Last month, a van was struck by a train at Corpach near Fort William. Nobody was injured and the British Transport Police are investigating.