Railroad Crossing Accidents
The Federal Railroad Administration estimates that every 90 minutes there is a train collision or derailment in the United States. For the last decade, there have been approximately 3,000 railroad accidents annually, with nearly 35% of railway crossing accidents involving children under 16. Many of these accidents are avoidable and caused by defective or outdated train equipment, or undertrained or overworked employees. Railroads are self-regulated and a close eye is kept on the bottom line for profit. Very little is done to update technology unless there are several accidents or lawsuits related to a specific crossing. According to the National Transportation Safety Board, more than 80% of public crossings do not have safety lights and gates and 60% of all train accidents happen at these crossings. Other examples of the
railroad's fault in crossing accidents include:
- Obstructed crossing because of vegetation or other objects
- Limited sight distance for vehicle operators or the train
- Trains approaching crossings without lights on and horn sounding
- Unsafe locomotive cab protruding metal or structural parts, weak steel parts, lack of full body protection, poor seats or seats with protruding steel on support brackets.
There are many types of railroad grade crossing accidents. Some affect more than the vehicle driver and train crew. In most cases, when a grade crossing collision occurs, there has been a violation of at least one traffic law. The most common cause of highway-rail collisions is intentional violations of law, because of impatience or inattention. In over 25% of collisions, the vehicle driver runs into the train. Over half of all railroad grade crossing accidents occur at crossings where there are active warning devices.
If you were in a vehicle hit by a train or if you suffered injury as a passenger on a train, please contact us for a free case evaluation.
For more information:
Personal Injury
FAQs
Personal Injury Legal Glossary
Railroad Accident Legal Glossary
Railroad Accident News
Woman offers settlement of UP auto accident suit, seeks $635K (North Platte Bulletin)
A North Platte woman who sued Union Pacific on behalf of her daughter after a 2007 car accident with a UP employee has offered to settle the matter. Joelle Huhman filed an offer of judgment March 11, seeking $635,883.25.
Cochise County Sheriffâs Department (Douglas Dispatch)
February 27-28 DOUGLAS
Wednesday's Last Word on Tuesday (The Virginia Gazette)
Redistricting “I attended the redistricting meeting and heard several residents ask the WJC School Board to fix problems at D.J. Montague Elementary. I listened to parents ask for help through redistricting to allow more affluent neighborhoods to be redistricted to go there and how unfair the process was last time. Montague had failing SOL scores two years before Matoaka opened, with Governor’s ...
Police & Sheriff's Blotter (Storm Lake Pilot
Updates from the Storm Lake Police Department, the Buena Vista County Sheriff's Office and the Storm Lake Fire Department.
Man gets prison term for 2009 fatal accident (The Findlay Courier)
LIMA -- A Lima man was sentenced to four years in prison Monday for killing a Bluffton woman in a traffic crash last April.
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