Distracted drivers contribute to rail accidents

Distracted drivers contribute to rail accidents

LaHood

   About 3 percent of all vehicle crashes with trains at railroad crossings are attributed to distracted drivers, Operation Lifesaver, a non-profit railroad safety organization, said Monday.
   About 20 percent of grade crossing collisions involve motor vehicles striking trains, it added.
   It released the figures, based on Federal Railroad Administration data, on the eve of a Distracted Driver Summit in Washington convened by Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood.
   A total of 2,397 highway-rail grade crossing collisions occurred in 2008, resulting in 286 deaths and more than 900 injuries. Of these 78 were due to driver inattentiveness, resulting in 14 deaths and 78 injuries.
   Through the first six months of 2009, there were 34 highway-rail grade crossing incidents caused by highway user inattentiveness, resulting in six deaths and 52 injuries.
   The crashes can also lead to freight delays on the rail network as accident investigations and cleanup are conducted.
   Of the 488 collisions in which vehicles ran into trains, 60 percent were at crossings equipped with gates or flashing lights, Operation Lifesaver said.
   The organization believes text messaging is contributing to these accidents and noted an example in which a motorist stopped on the tracks to answer a cell phone.