This past Monday, a ten-year-old boy lost both of his legs after being hit by a night train in Buffalo, New York. The boy was attempting to jump the tracks when the railroad crossing accident occurred. A construction worker nearby reported seeing the boy come up to him, dragging himself on the ground.
The boy managed to drag himself off the tracks and across the street in order to find help. He is currently being cared for at Women & Children’s Hospital, but his legs could not be saved.
The train tracks can be a tempting place for kids to play, but as this story and countless others like it show, they are extremely dangerous. Though great care has been taken to put up safety warnings – such as gates and flashing lights near train tracks – these safety measures are still not preventing railroad crossing accidents. According to the State Coordinator of Florida’s Operation Lifesaver, one-half of collision at public train crossings occur just where many safety measures have been put in place.
During Florida’s annual Train Safety Awareness week in April, the CSX Railroad Police Department stressed that “every collision between a vehicle or person and a train is preventable… safety is the bottom line.”
If you or a loved one has been injured in a railroad crossing accident, please contact an experienced railroad accident attorney in your area through the Personal Injury Lawyer Directory.
