The risk of a deadly train crash or railroad accident is higher in Illinois than any other state in the nation.
Five years ago, the Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police (ILACP) ushered in the first “Illinois Rail Safety Week” event. The campaign was instituted to try and bring attention to the dangers of serious and fatal rail accidents in Illinois and the need to educate and promote statewide rail safety.
This month, “Rail Safety Week” will be held in Illinois — and elsewhere in the country — during the week of September 22 – 28, 2019.
Each year, more and more public and private agencies and safety advocates have joined in the September effort to curtail railroad fatalities in a National Rail Safety Week campaign. The goal of this national public safety campaign, overseen as Operation LifeSaver, is to promote awareness of the dangers of serious and fatal railroad accidents, hopefully preventing fatal rail deaths involving trains and pedestrians; bicyclists; and drivers and passengers of motor vehicles.
According to Illinois’ National Safety Council, “every three hours in America, either a person or a vehicle is hit by a train, and too many of these incidents happen at grade crossings.”
Another concern is protecting the public from exposure to toxins and other hazardous chemicals that are moved through our part of the country by rail. For more on these dangers, read: “Dangerous Cargo on Freight Trains Moving Through Indiana and Illinois: Risk of Fatal Train Accidents.”
Railroads in Illinois: Vital Need for Railroad Safety in the Number One Rail State
The importance of rail safety cannot be underestimated in Illinois. For all intents and purposes, the State of Illinois is first in the country for providing rail transportation both for transporting goods as well as travelers.
Chicago is the largest rail hub in the United States; Chicago is the third largest container/trailer port in the world, surpassed only by Singapore and Hong Kong; and around 500 freight trains and 700 passenger trains rumble through Chicago each day.
Other Illinois Rail Facts from the Illinois Department of Transportation:
- Illinois is the only state where all Seven Class I railroads operate;
- Illinois has the 2nd largest rail system in the nation (approximately 7,000 miles of track);
- More than 500,000,000 tons of freight move on Illinois’ rails annually, more than any other state;
- Illinois has more carloads carried than any other state in the country;
- Illinois has more than 10,000 places where public highways and rail crossings meet;
- Over 60 railroad companies operate their trains in Illinois, the highest in the nation; and
- Freight rail volume on Illinois rails is expected to double by 2025.
2019 Message: “Stop Train Tragedies”
This year’s Rail Safety Week has a theme, “Stop Train Tragedies.” Increased public awareness of things like the dangers of approaching and crossing a railroad train track intersection with a roadway is paramount.
The NSC reports that there was a 7% jump in the number of motor vehicle accidents where someone perished in a train crash at a roadway-rail crossing in 2017.
It is important for every driver in Illinois to understand that the weight and power of even the smallest and slowest train will overcome a motor vehicle in a roadway-rail crash. From semi-trucks to big rigs to smaller motor vehicles (sedans, SUVs, minivans), motorcycles, and bicycles, the train provides a deadly danger in any collision.
Accordingly, the general public must be aware of the inequalities between the train itself and all other forms of transportation and the need to respect and avoid contact with even the slowest of moving trains.
These warnings include:
- Never go onto the tracks if the crossing lights are on (even if you do not see a train);
- Never go onto the tracks if the gate is down (even if you cannot see any locomotive);
- Even if the train appears to be moving very slowly or has stopped, do not try and beat the train;
- Never try and cross railroad tracks at any juncture other than an official rail crossing;
- If a vehicle is stuck on the tracks, exit the vehicle immediately;
- If a vehicle is stuck on the tracks, find the blue sign giving the crossing number and call the railroad immediately (so trains can be re-routed as soon as possible); and
- Always remember that it is possible for a train to approach rapidly and silently – you cannot always hear the train coming fast on the tracks.
Indiana Beats Illinois in Rail Crossing Accidents
Both Illinois and Indiana are in the top five states in the country with the most railroad crossing accidents in the country.
According to the Federal Railroad Administration, as of April 2019, Indiana was third in the nation for highway-rail collisions while Illinois ranked fifth in the country. The two states tied for second in the country for the number of rail crossing fatalities.
Justice for Victims of Railroad Accidents in Illinois and Indiana
For victims of a railroad accident, where victims have suffered serious bodily injuries or died in a collision with a train, investigations must be undertaken on their behalf to determine the reasons behind the incident.
While public awareness of the dangers of a rail crash is extremely important and to be encouraged, all too often these serious railroad accidents are caused by events beyond the victim’s control. Fault may lie with the railroad company and other parties for what has happened.
- Investigating the Crossing after a Fatal Train Crash
For instance, in many rural areas of Indiana and Illinois, tracks cross roadways without proper warning lights or crossing gates. Even if signals or gates are in place, they may not be properly maintained or repaired and may not function properly at the time of the crash. Additionally, wild overgrowth of shrubs, weeds, or grasses can block the view of warning lights or crossing gates that are in good working order.
- Investigating the Train after a Deadly Train Accident
On the train, it is important for the railroad worker to sound the warning of an approaching train as it nears a roadway crossing. In a fatal crash, it must be determined if the horn was used. Likewise, warning lights must be used when approaching roadways; investigators must learn if the lights were in use as required.
Also, the train needs to be in good working order. If the brakes were not in good working order, or the horn was in need of repair, or lights were not working, then the condition of the train itself must be evaluated as a cause of the crash.
After a serious or fatal train crash, liability may be found with the railroad company for personal injury and/or wrongful death of the train accident victims. These national rail companies prepare in advance to defend against accident claims and to minimize their exposure. Nevertheless, the laws of Illinois and Indiana do provide avenues for justice to train crash victims. Please be careful out there!
