When many Americans think of trains and railroads, many presume there has been a decline in their need and use in recent times. In today’s fast lane world of jets and cars, traveling on a train has become something of a novelty. But in fact, while passenger travel on trains has indeed decreased dramatically in America since the advent of national highways and commercial airline travel after World War II, trains are used more than ever as a high-volume, low-cost way to ship freight and cargo across the country. Because rail lines are built to weave through towns and cities and often cut across major roads and intersections in populated areas, they continue to pose a threat to pedestrians and other people using other forms of transportation. Despite notable efforts to curb railroad and train accidents through improved equipment and higher standards for railway personnel, it is estimated that train accidents still occur at a rate of one every 90 minutes in America. As urban areas continue to build and expand on commuter subway systems, the potential for high speed train wrecks is actually growing.
What Are Common Causes of Train Accidents?
There are several other reasons why train wrecks continue to occur so often. Not all railways are built to handle the speed and size of today’s trains. Because trains are capable of traveling at speeds that exceed 100 mph today, sudden stops or slow downs on the train can cause acceleration/ deceleration injuries or falls and accidents caused by the train’s momentum. The number of train accidents can also be attributed, in part, to increased freight railroad traffic and train density that have reached record high levels since 1980. Many of these accidents could be prevented with proper track maintenance, better worker safety standards and better management of railroad crossings.
Train Accident Injuries
The havoc caused by train and railway accidents rivals the damage caused in plane wrecks. The few who are fortunate enough to survive these disasters usually face the severest of injuries, such as traumatic brain injury, loss of limbs, and other injuries that cost millions in medical care.
Call a Railroad Accident Attorney Today
Attorneys at the Brain Injury Law Center keep a close watch on railroad safety violations and are well aware of the vast damage a train wreck can cause – both in property damage and in the cost of human lives. We know the factors that cause railroad and train accidents and we know who is responsible and how to punish them in a court of law. Whether you are a railroad employee injured during the operation of a train or an innocent bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time, you should contact the Brain Injury Law Center today to learn more about ways you can achieve compensation for a railroad or subway accident.
