Train accidents frequently result in fatalities because to the size and weight of trains, as well as the speeds at which they move. One of the most effective methods to combat these incidents is to figure out what causes them and then attempt to prevent them. Continue reading to learn about the top four reasons of train derailments, and if you or a loved one has been wounded in one, call the Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation.
Train derailments: How serious are they?
The majority of individuals feel they understand how deadly a railway collision may be. They are aware that trains are large, heavy, and move quickly, and that their size poses a problem. However, they are not always aware of the gravity of the situation.
If a train carries poisonous goods, for example, any accident or derailment might harm not only individuals on board but also the environment around the event. When a train derailed in Louisiana, the 10,000 gallons of hydrochloric acid it was carrying caused hundreds of people to be forced to flee their homes.
Derailment statistics
Between 2010 and 2016, there were approximately 10,000 railway derailments in the United States, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. There were around 1,200 derailments in 2016, with 59 of them occurring in California. There were 444 railway derailments in California between 2010 and 2016. In 2016, 787 people died as a result of railway derailments across the country, with 59 of those deaths occurring in California.
Train derailment’s top three causes
A train derailment is the most common railroad accident in the United States. Problems with the tracks are the most typical cause of these incidents. Damaged rails, broken welds, track geometry issues, bowed tracks, and joint bar faults are all examples of this. More than half of all railway derailments are caused by these difficulties.
Equipment failure is the second most prevalent problem, which might include train brake failure, car axel flaws, locomotive bearing and/or wheel failure, broken car wheels, and electric faults inside the locomotive.
Human factors, such as speeding, failing to heed signals, leaving unsecured cars on slopes, failing to communicate with the railroad operator, incorrectly placing track switches, and the conductor’s physical condition, are the third-leading cause of train derailments.
Have you been involved in a train collision?
If you have been wounded in a train accident, call Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas for a free legal consultation at 909-982-0707 now. We will thoroughly analyze your situation and choose the best course of action. Our objective is to obtain the compensation you are entitled to for the losses you have suffered.
