Train Strikes Truck in Lexington County Causing Injuries

LEXINGTON COUNTY, SC- The charlotteobserver.com writes that a train struck a truck in the early morning hours on Old Dunbar Road. The crash took place in West Columbia and led to injuries. The cause of the collision and the severity of the injuries has not been reported. The crash is still being investigated.*

Operation Lifesaver, an organization specializing in train safety education, states that trains and vehicles "don't mix" and reminds drivers of the many risks associated with driving over train tracks. It is crucial for drivers to understand that the speed of a train is difficult to estimate. Drivers often believe that a train is farther away and moving slower than it actually is. If the train is approaching, let the train go first and do not assume you have enough time to cross.

Avoiding an accident with a train is up to the driver, not the train. Trains simply cannot come to a stop quickly enough to prevent a crash. In fact, a train that is moving at 55 miles per hour will need a minimum of one mile to come to a stop, even using the emergency brakes. If you are in the path of a train, the train engineer can do little to avoid hitting you.

Of course, no driver, pedestrian, or cyclist should ever consider going around the gates when they are lowered. Even if you believe that the signal is not working correctly, do not risk attempting to cross. Instead, contact the police to report the suspected malfunction.

Always remember that there can be more than one train at an intersection at a time. 

Accident News is a safety and education initiative from Montlick & Associates, designed to help people better understand and thereby avoid common accident causes.  To learn more about our injury prevention programs, including iridesafe.com - click here. We hope you are never in an accident, but if you or family member are injured, call Montlick & Associates 24/7 for your free consultation at 1-800-LAW-NEED (1-800-529-6333) or use our live chat at Montlick.com.

Source:https://www.charlotteobserver.com/news/state/south-carolina/article235902587.html