railroad crossing accidents
that have occurred in the U.S.
have reportedly been
decreasing, according to the
FRA.
Since 2011, the number of railroad crossing accidents that have occurred in the U.S. have reportedly been decreasing, according to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). Here, railroad crossing accidents refer to any collision between a train and another vehicle, a bicyclist and/or a pedestrian.
In fact, while the FRA reports that railroad crossing accidents decreased from 2,060 in 2011 to 1,967 in 2012, the reported number of resulting deaths slightly increased (from 271 to 273) over this same period while the reported number of resulting injuries decreased by nearly 100 (from 1,040 in 2011 to 946 in 2012).
Despite the overall decrease in railroad crossing accidents, it’s important to point out that:
- Any injury or death that occurs at a railroad crossing is one too many.
- Many of the reported railroad crossing car accidents could have been prevented if not for the negligence or recklessness of some person or party (like another driver, a train engineer or the railroad company itself).
Types of Railroad Crossing Accidents
Some of the most common types of railroad crossing accidents that occur include (but are not limited to):
- Derailments at railroad crossings
- Collisions between two (or more) trains
- Collisions between trains and other motor vehicles (including passenger vehicles and motorcyclists)
- Collisions between trains and pedestrians.
Railroad Crossing Accident Injuries
Railroad crossing accidents are most likely to be fatal when trains are going at faster speeds, other motor vehicles are smaller and/or other individuals involved in the accident are not in motor vehicles (and, as a result, have nothing to mitigate the force of the train). When train accident victims do survive railroad crossing accidents, their injuries can be extensive and can include:
- Irreversible, severe traumatic brain injuries
- Other head injuries
- Loss of one or more limbs
- Severe burns
- Neck and/or back injuries
- Spine injuries, which may include paraplegia or quadriplegia.
For additional information regarding railroad crossing car accidents, be sure to check out the upcoming Part 2 of this blog.
St. Louis Car Accident Lawyers
If you or a loved one has been injured in a railroad crossing car accident, contact the St. Louis car accident lawyers at Brown & Brown Attorneys at Law. We have a long-standing commitment to serving our clients, and we are experienced at aggressively defending our clients’ rights in any legal setting. Our goal is to preserve and promote the rights and welfare of individuals and families who have suffered injuries and losses and/or who need help navigating through the complexities of the court system.
Since 1993, our lawyers have been successfully representing our clients in various areas of personal injury litigation, including car accident lawsuits. Our unwavering dedication to the pursuit of justice in every case we handle means that we will work relentlessly to help our clients achieve the best possible outcomes to their cases. One of our primary goals is to help accident victims secure the maximum possible compensation for their injuries and losses so they can focus on their recovery and moving on with their lives.
For a free initial consult, email us using the form at the right-hand side of the screen and/or to call us at 573-333-3333 for our Missouri office or at 618-888-8888 for our Illinois office.
