Dangerous Railroad Crossings Site Of Deadly Accidents
Railroad crossings are designed to keep vehicles and trains from colliding, but when they don’t do their jobs, serious accidents can happen. In light of the recent Metro-North crash, it’s important to be aware that these crossings can be very dangerous. If you or a loved one has been injured in a train accident, you need a New York railroad crossing accident attorney on your team, fighting for your rights. You may be entitled to compensation for your pain and suffering, lost wages and medical bills.
The Sanders Firm has years of experience litigating claims arising from railroad accidents in New York. Our firm partners with investigative specialists to determine the cause of the crash and works diligently to hold all liable parties accountable.
Trains and cars don’t mix
Six people were killed in the Metro-North crash last month, when a train collided with an SUV at a grade crossing in Westchester County. This certainly isn’t the first time a deadly train accident has occurred in the area. In 1984, another fatal collision occurred at this Valhalla, NY crossing.
However, this isn’t even the most dangerous grade crossing in the area — the crossing where Midland Avenue intersects with New Jersey Transit tracks at a sharp angle is actually the deadliest in the country. According to the “accident prediction value” metric calculated by the Federal Railroad Administration, the physical characteristics of crossings and recent accidents make it incredibly hazardous. In fact, there have been 29 accidents — resulting in two deaths and six injuries — since 1975.
10 most dangerous rail crossings
According to the Federal Railroad Administration formula, the following 10 crossings have the greatest accident potential in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut:
- Elmwood Park on Midland Avenue — N.J. Transit Bergen County
- Brentwood on Washington Avenue — L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Brentwood on Fifth Avenue — L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Central Islip on Carlton Avenue — L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Ramsey on Main Street — N.J. Transit Main Line
- Oceanside on Atlantic Avenue — L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Wyandanch on 18th Street — L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Bethpage on Stewart Avenue — L.I.R.R. Mainline
- Hackensack on Main Street — N.J. Transit Pascack Valley
- Hackensack on Anderson Street — N.J. Transit Pascack Valley
Contact New York railroad crossing accident attorneys
Many different factors go into play when determining which areas are the most dangerous. While commuter trains in the area travel at speeds as high as 80 miles per hour, freight trains in other parts of the country often operate at speeds as low as 10 miles per hour. More trains travel down the tracks of the commuter rail lines each day than many other freight train crossings in other parts of the country during an entire one month span.
Additionally, some of the crossings have safety experts that can increase the chances of a collision, such as roads and tracks meeting at harsh angles and traffic signals that can lead to drivers’ getting stuck on the tracks in heavy traffic.
If you or a loved one was harmed at a rail crossing, and would like to learn more about your legal options, we invite you to contact The Sanders Firm for a free case evaluation. Our practice has more than 45 years of experience defending the rights of innocent victims like you in Manhattan, Queens, Bronx, Brooklyn, Long Island and other parts of New York.
Call us at 1.800.FAIR.PLAY to find out if you are eligible for filing a New York personal injury lawsuit. Resources
- The New York Times, In New York Area, Points Where Train and Tragedy Are Likely to Intersect https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/13/nyregion/at-rail-crossings-in-new-york-area-a-constantly-lurking-danger.html?_r=1
- U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Railroad Administration, Web Based Accident Prediction Systems (WBAPS) https://www.fra.dot.gov/Page/P0114
