Train Accident Statistics in Illinois

Every year, there are always a troubling number of deaths and injuries caused by someone crossing railroad tracks and being struck by a train. Unfortunately, too many people and families must deal with the death of a loved one from a train accident. Furthermore, when someone survives a train accident, they may have to deal with permanent, life-altering injuries sustained from the collision. Understanding the statistics of deaths and serious injuries caused by train accidents can help people avoid these accidents in the future.

Vehicle/Train Crashes By the Numbers

• In 2015, 265 people were killed by a train in the United States. 
• A train accident occurs every three hours in the United States, on average. 
• 50 percent of all train accidents occur at crossings with active warning devices, including bells, lights, and railroad gates. 
• In 2016, there were 120 train collisions in Illinois, with 22 of them resulting in death and 43 injuries.
• In Illinois, the six counties in the Chicago area account for about 73 percent of the State of Illinois’ risk of a train/vehicle accident.
• A train traveling at 55 miles per hour will take approximately 18 football fields to come to a stop. 

Suicide As a Factor in Train Accidents

As of July, there have been as many as 16 people who were killed in a train accident in 2017 in which the death was ruled to be a suicide, according to Metra, one of the largest commuter rail systems in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs and counties. Between 2013 and 2016, there have been, on average, 18 suicides reported each year from train accidents. 

As the awareness of suicide on train tracks has grown, several programs have been put in place to emphasize prevention efforts, with the goal of decreasing the number of suicides resulting from train accidents to zero as quickly as possible. Over 150 Metra employees have been trained in the company’s mental health and suicide awareness program, helping them learn to identify at-risk people at Metra stations or on train tracks and refer them to the appropriate authorities for further treatment.

Contact a Will County Personal Injury Attorney

Nobody wants to go through the grieving process of losing a loved one in a train accident or to see the negative effects of train accident injuries on their family member’s life. If you or a loved one has been seriously injured in a train accident, you can count on Flaherty Law to represent you effectively and help you receive compensation for your injuries. Attorney Daniel Flaherty has several years of experience in personal injury matters. Having recovered millions of dollars for his clients, he is ready to assist you in winning the best case results possible. To schedule a free consultation, please call a Plainfield, IL train accident injury lawyer at 815-577-7500.

Sources:

https://www.icc.illinois.gov/ilol/

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-metra-suicide-prevention-campaign-met-20170720-story.html