Buckner, MO (December 03, 2020) – A man was killed when his tractor was struck by a train near Buckner on Wednesday, December 2nd.
The collision occurred at about 3:00 p.m. in rural Jackson County.
According to the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, the man was apparently attempting to cross the Union Pacific tracks when the eastbound freight train collided with his tractor. He was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity has not been released.
No one on the train was harmed during the incident.
This accident is under investigation by local law enforcement.
We would like to offer our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased victim at this time.
Railway Crossing Fatalities in Buckner
Although Union Pacific claims that safety is its top priority, the Federal Railroad Administration’s Office of Safety Analysis reports that there were 2,519 recorded railroad fatalities and injuries nationwide in just the five-month window from January 1, 2020, to May 31, 2020. 346 of these accidents involved Union Pacific and 65 of them resulted in a fatality.
Accidents that take place at highway-railway crossings have the highest rate, approximately 300 to 400, of annual train-related fatalities. Someone is liable for every single train crossing accident, including those responsible for track maintenance, crossing signal maintenance, and the upkeep of the roadways that lead to the tracks. Railway crossing collisions stem from multiple possible causes, such as faulty crossing signals, like those with no lights, no gates, and overgrown shrubbery, all of which make an approaching train difficult to see. It is essential to document the crash site before the railroad company has a chance to clear the scene. It is up to them to make sure that the warning devices are clearly visible and in proper working order.
In rural areas, a train neglecting to sound its horn could result in an accident, particularly at crossings with no gate. A lot of railroad crossings only have crossbucks or lights. Obstructed sightlines make the train or the crossing itself hard to see. In some instances, private crossings are upheld by a property owner instead of the railroad company.
When victims are killed in collisions, they often leave behind friends and family that are devastated. In some cases, families can reach out to a wrongful death attorney in Missouri to get the justice they deserve for their loved ones. Working with a skilled and knowledgeable legal team can help to ensure you are in the best position possible to move forward after experiencing the loss of a loved one.
Our team at Peterson & Associates P.C. will help you to understand the legal options available to you in the aftermath of a car accident. Our car accident attorneys in Kansas City strive to help our clients maximize their recoveries so they can get the medical treatment they need without the worry. Not only is it crucial that families are able to get full and fair compensation after losing loved ones in accidents caused by negligent drivers, but we are committed to helping them gain peace of mind in knowing they can move forward and overcome the challenges they face.
If you have lost a loved one due to a car accident, and you would like to explore legal options available to you, contact our Kansas City personal injury attorneys at 816-888-8888 as soon as possible to schedule a free case of evaluation to see how we can help you.
Note: Our team of writers utilized secondary sources in the creation of this accident post. For that reason, the specifics regarding this accident have not been independently fact-checked and verified by our writing staff. If you locate any information that is not accurate, please notify us immediately so that we can update the post to reflect the most accurate information available. If you would like the post to be removed from our site, please let us know and we will do our best to remove it completely.
Disclaimer: As a well-respected member of the Kansas City, Missouri business community, Peterson & Associates, P.C. is always looking to increase the safety of and bring overall safety for all Missouri residents. We hope that by bringing awareness to the dangers associated with driving that people will exercise additional caution when operating a motor vehicle and avoid being injured in a serious crash. This post is not intended to be a solicitation for business. This post should not be misconstrued as medical or legal advice. The photos depicted in this post are not representative of the actual accident scene.
