Warning signs, flashing lights, a drop-down barrier-you'd think a train accident would never happen at a modern railroad crossing. But you'd be wrong, about 1,900 times a year.
Even in the cyber-age, crossing a railroad track is still risky. According to data compiled by the Federal Railroad Administration's Office for Safety Analysis, over the last 10 years, nearly 29,000 railroad-crossing collisions have occurred, with more than 3,500 fatalities and 10,000 injuries. Despite the danger, many crossings remain unguarded, and lights and barriers may not work properly. And when a careless motorist takes these precautions for granted and is struck by a speeding locomotive, the outcome is almost always tragic.
In 2009, California led the nation in railroad crossing deaths, with 21 fatalities occurring in that year. Texas followed with 17 and Illinois came in third with 14. Overall, 161 people were killed in railroad crossing collisions with trains in 2009.
California fared only slightly better in the number of train-car collisions at crossings with 73 collisions to 130 in Texas. Thankfully, the number of railroad crossing fatalities and collisions has been trending downward since 2007.
The FRA's data also indicates who is mostly likely to be killed in a highway-rail collision (HRC): the occupant or occupants of the motor vehicle. In the period from 2007 to 2009, of the 582 HRC fatalities reported, only two workers will killed. No passengers were killed. That means that the remaining 580 fatalities were people that were not employees, passengers or contractors of the railroad.
Preventing Highway-Rail Collisions
In a 2007 paper based on a ten-year study of highway-rail collisions, Richard Raub found that most collisions occurred during good weather at crossings with no view obstructions. Raub analyzed the types of warning devices used at crossings, as well as the frequency of motor vehicles crossing tracks, and determined that the presence of gates and flashing lights made HRCs less likely. Raub also indicated that more study was needed on human decision-making at railroad crossings.
The Federal Railroad Administration's Grade Crossing Safety Fact Sheet also indicates that motorists should be educated on signals and safety at railroad crossings and that safety features such as gates and flashing lights can continue to be added throughout the nation.
The FRA also noted railroad operators' obligations for crossing safety including the duties to inspect, provide alternate warnings for disabled devices, report collisions, maintain the track, operate trains safely and within speed limits, and maintain visibility of trains with lead lights and reflective surfaces.
Obviously, California motorists and motorists throughout the country stand to lose the most in a collision with a train. Train, light rail and railroad operators need to live up to their duties as well to avoid catastrophic train accidents.
