Train and airplane accidents are more common than many people realize. In many cases, these accidents never make the news at all. If you are a passenger on a train or an airplane, you generally have no control over the vehicle, so it is difficult to avoid being injured if there is an accident. If you are the pilot of a small aircraft or are driving a car or walking near a train crossing, there are some safety steps you can follow to avoid being in an accident.
Train Accidents
In Georgia there are many of miles of track and almost 8,000 highway railroad crossings. Train accidents fall into a number of categories, including pedestrian (or “trespasser”) accidents, highway rail incidents (i.e., cars going around lowered crossing gates), accidents that happen on the main rail lines vs. those in the train yards, and those that were caused by defective or improperly maintained rails. Between January of 2005 and March of 2010, there were 33 train accident deaths in Georgia, with 16 of those classified as trespasser accidents.*
Train Safety Tips
While not all train accidents are avoidable, take precautions when you drive or walk around train tracks or railroad crossings: The old adage, “Stop-look-listen” still holds true. Other tips:
- Never drive your car around lowered crossing gates
- If the railroad crossing does not have gates, stop (or slow) and look both ways
- Do NOT stop your vehicle on the tracks – even if the gates are up
- Pedestrians, do not use the tracks as a sidewalk!
If you have been injured or a loved one killed in a train accident, contact Cochran & Edwards today for a free case review by calling (770) 435-2131 or completing the form below.
*www.fra.dot.gov
Plane Accident
We frequently hear that airplanes are one of the safest methods of transportation and that is indeed true. There are, however, a number of plane accidents each year that involve passenger fatalities or injuries or cause harm to those on the ground. The majority of airplane accidents involve smaller personal aircraft with a limited number of passengers. Based on research provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), between January of 2005 and May of 2010, there were 233 airplane crashes in Georgia; 45 of those were fatal crashes with a total of 75 fatalities.*
Pilots should always do a safety check of the plane before flying; check the weather and travel conditions before takeoff; never fly when impaired in any way; and always follow flight rules.
If you have been injured or a loved one killed in an airplane accident, contact Cochran & Edwards today for a free case review by calling (770) 435-2131 or completing the form below.
*www.ntsb.gov