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Will adding rail crossing information really help drivers avoid accidents?

Google Maps and FRA Partner to Improve Rail Crossing SafetyA few weeks ago, Google and the Federal Railroad Administration announced a plan designed to help make rail grade crossings safer for drivers. The FRA will provide Google with data on the roughly 98,000 rail grade crossings in the US, which the tech giant will incorporate into their Google Maps app.

This move is expected to help the many drivers who rely on Google Maps for navigation be more aware of crossings and approach them in a more safety-conscious way, thus reducing the risk of train accidents.

Plan Is Response to Recent Uptick in Accidents

You may wonder: why is this only happening now? Google Maps has been a favored navigation technology for years, and authorities have just now thought to add rail grade crossing information?

Well, this plan to incorporate rail grade crossings in GPS navigation tools is direct result of what industry experts see as a disturbing fluctuation in the rate of rail grade crossing accident injuries per year.

For many years, these kinds of accidents were on the decline. Numbers decreased from roughly 12,000 per year in the 1970s to just 2,000 per year more recently. However, 2014 saw a sudden spike in serious rail crossing accidents, with 270 people killed and 843 injured. This represents a 9 percent increase in fatal train-vehicle accidents at rail grade crossings over the previous year.

Will GPS Data Really Help Prevent Accidents?

According to Sarah Feinberg, the acting administrator of the Federal Railroad Administration, the majority of these deaths and injuries could probably have been prevented. She believes that while some accidents may occur when a driver deliberately takes a risk such as trying to beat an oncoming train, many more happen because drivers are navigating an unfamiliar route or driving in the dark and are actually unaware of the risk. If this is the case, it does seem that adding rail grade crossing information to navigational tools could help.

But What About Drivers Who Do Not Use Google Maps?

The FRA has plans to reach out to other companies like Apple, MapQuest, TomTom, and Garmin to have them include useful rail crossing information as well.

Of course, this does not account for drivers who may not be using navigational software at all. For these drivers, the best protection may be installing better gate arms at rail crossings. Ultimately, though, drivers must take responsibility for their own safety and watch out for and avoid hazards in order to prevent accidents and injuries.

If you have been injured as a result of another driver’s negligence or malfunctioning railroad crossing signal equipment, you may be entitled to compensation. Be sure to consult an experienced attorney right away to learn about your options and prospects.