Most Ohio drivers are concerned with paying attention to cars, trucks and motorcycles on the roads in order to avoid auto accidents. Some might forget that trains are just as much as a hazard to motorists, and can prove deadly.
This proved to be the case in a recent car-train accident in Bucyrus, Ohio, that claimed the lives of a 53-year-old woman, 46-year-old man and their dog.
The woman was driving the vehicle west along Hieber Road at around 3:18 p.m. one day when she collided with a train, the Crawford County sheriff's office stated. Reports from railroad employees claimed that the woman initially slowed down her vehicle as she encountered the tracks. At the last minute, she sped up to try to beat the locomotive. Instead, the vehicle was struck on the passenger's side.
Residents are left to ponder whether the city or railroad company has done enough to protect the victims and others who use the railroad crossing. The crossing does not have a gate to stop cars from crossing when a train is approaching. It is also not equipped with flashing lights. Both are vitally important to warning drivers about an oncoming train.
According to the Federal Railroad Administration, 80 percent of crossings throughout the country are not equipped with lights or a gate. While some may think it's easy to see whether a train is approaching even an unmarked crossing, sometimes it can be extremely difficult, depending on the conditions.
The Crawford County Sheriff's Office continues to investigate the crash.
Source: MarionStar.com, "Woman dies from injuries in weekend crash," Kimberly Gasuras, April 17, 2012