Railroad safety could perhaps be a concern for Illinois residents
On behalf of Jeffrey Frederick of Frederick & Hagle posted in Train Accidents on Wednesday, October 29, 2014.
Being able to get to a location on time, especially in a crowded area, can be difficult for commuters. For this reason and many others, numerous individuals opt to travel by train to get to their destinations. Though using train services can help avoid traffic and are fairly quick means of transportation, the safety of passengers and workers involved are also important. If safety is not a top concern on the railroad, an accident could take place.
A recent review of Metra train services in Illinois led to some concerns regarding safety. A Chicago-area section was reviewed after three incidents, though no accidents, resulted in the Federal Railroad Administration having some trepidations. It was reported that there were two instances in which trains were traveling approximately 20 mph over the speed limit and another situation in which a train did not stop at a stop signal.
As mentioned, these events did not result in accidents, but not abiding strictly by safety standards could potentially lead to an accident in the future. It was reported that the review found that the service was overly attentive to getting commuters to their destinations in a timely manner as well as collecting the associated fares. The attention to these areas resulted in certain safety measures seeming less important.
When using railroad services, many Illinois residents are putting their lives in the hands of the employees of the service company. Though they may appreciate arriving at their destination on time, they may feel differently should they be involved in a serious accident due to workers bending the safety rules. If a party is involved in a train accident and suffers serious injuries, a personal injury claim seeking compensation could possibly be an appropriate civil case to pursue.
Source: pantagraph.com, “Federal review finds safety concerns with Metra”, Oct. 17, 2014
