Railroad Crossing Accidents (Part 2)

Continuing from Railroad Crossing Accidents (Part 1), the following presents some additional information regarding motor vehicle accidents that occur at railroad crossings. While Part 1 of this blog was focused on discussing different types of railroad accident and the injuries that can result from them, here in Part 2, we will take a closer look at some railroad crossing accident statistics, some of the specific causes of railroad crossing accidents and who may be to blame for them.

Railroad Crossing Accident Statistics

The following are some railroad crossing accident statistics that have been compiled and reported by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA):

• In 2013, there were nearly 1,700 railroad crossing accidents in the U.S. (these are also referred to as highway-rail accidents by FRA officials).
• While highway-rail accidents and trespassing incidents account for nearly 95 percent of all train accident deaths, these incidents only represent about 18 percent of all types of train accidents that reportedly occur in the U.S.
• One of the primary reasons that railroad crossing accidents are so deadly is that, when a train hits a passenger vehicle, the effects of the impact are similar to those that occur when a passenger vehicle hits an aluminum soda can.

Railroad Crossing Accident Causes

Some of the specific causes of highway-rail accidents that may be associated with another party’s negligence or recklessness include (but are not limited to):

• Railroad employees’ lack of training or inexperience
• Railroad employees’ failure to follow proper procedures when approaching and traveling through railroad crossings (like, for example, failing to sound a train’s whistle when approaching railroad crossings)
• Cargo trains being overloaded
• Obstacles being left on train tracks
• Faulty or poorly maintained tracks
• Train equipment failure (like, for example, brake failure)
• Defective signals or gates at railroad crossings
• Railroad crossings being obstructed by plant growth or other objects
• Objects not being properly contained within a train (i.e., protruding from the train).

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.