Illinois Injury Law Blog

A 93-year-old driver remains in the hospital after crashing his car into a Metra train in Northbrook on Monday. The car was cut in half and came to rest in two pieces alongside Dundee Road. Investigators believe the driver somehow circumvented the crossing gate, which was down with signals flashing at the time of the Chicago car accident, the Chicago Tribune reports.

Just last week a 17-year-old Taft High School sophomore was struck and critically injured after he ran across the tracks at Northwest Hwy. and Nagel Ave. with a group of friends. According to the Chicago Tribune, students frequently race across the tracks whether the caution lights are flashing or not. From 2005 to 2009, there have been six Chicago vehicle-train accidents at Nagel, which is considered one of the most dangerous crossings within a six-county Chicago region.

In March, a 34-year-old woman and the one-year-old child were killed after being struck while crossing the tracks in front of an inbound Metra commuter train in North Chicago, WGN-9 reports.

In a separate story, WGN-9 reports that Metra engineers have been cited in at least two derailment incidents between 2003 and 2005 that killed two and injured more than 160. At least $30 million has been awarded in separate verdicts to injured passengers.

Operation Lifesaver is a non-profit organization that aims to reduce the incidents of collision, fatalities and injuries at rail crossings and along train tracks through public awareness campaigns. They offer the following safety tips for drivers:

FOR DRIVERS:
~ Never stop on a train track, once you enter a crossing, keep going – even if lights are flashing and gates come down. With that said, NEVER drive around downed crossing gates.

~ Treat every rail crossing as if a train were approaching whether you see one or not. Never assume you have the right-of-way. If you do stop at a rail crossing, be sure you are at least 15 feet from the nearest rail.

~ If your car stalls out or gets stuck on a train track, get everyone out of the vehicle immediately and walk in the direction of the train at a 45-degree angle until you have put considerable distance between yourself and the track. Remember, trains travel at rates of speed up to and in excess of 60 m.p.h. and can take more than a mile to stop. In short, debris from a vehicle-train accident can and will travel a surprising distance. To avoid being struck by crash fallout, get away from the track.

~ Once you have gotten a safe distance from the track, call 911.

Of course, pedestrians should ONLY cross tracks at designated pedestrian or roadway crossings. They should NEVER attempt to out-run an approaching train, or use a train track as a walk path.