What are common causes of train accidents?

Train accidents, whether they involve passenger trains or freight trains, can occur for a variety of reasons. Trains are not able to quickly come to a stop the way that cars can. They need a considerably greater distance and more notice in order to come to a stop. They also cannot make evasive maneuvers in the way cars can. Any issues that arise during a train’s route, therefore, can result major accidents.

As mentioned above, many train accidents are caused by human error. Some common causes of train accidents around the country that involve preventable human error, as identified by the FRA, include:

• Failure to latch/lock a track switch
• Failure to have point protection (someone monitoring conditions ahead while moving rail cars)
• Failure to remove a derail
• Improperly controlled rail car movement
• Improperly lined track switches
• Leaving rail cars in areas where they can obstruct other trains
• Running a train on a broken or damaged switch

Train accidents can also be caused by some of the following circumstances:

• Broken/improperly maintained gates and signals at rail crossings
• Lack of gates or signals at rail crossings
• Obstructed visibility around railroad tracks
• Trains traveling too fast for conditions

The cause or causes of a train accident can dictate the people or entities to be named in a potential lawsuit. This might include the rail company, drivers of any other vehicles involved, and anyone else who contributed to the victim’s injuries.”