TrackSafe New Zealand is at a loss to explain why the rate of collisions in the South Island is far higher than in the North.

One person was taken to Christchurch Hospital with minor injuries after a car collided with the TranzAlpine passenger train near Springfield yesterday.

TrackSAFE manager Megan Drayton insists they will be focusing on awareness in the South Island, where collisions happen almost four times more often .

"I'm not quite sure why, but we do have some research that shows that people do become a bit complacent, perhaps not as many trains in the South Island compared to Auckland where there's trains all the time."

Drayton believes drivers do think they can get through crossings safely with a train in the distance.

"It's really important never to assume that you can judge the speed of an approaching train and there's been some research that's shown you can't do that."