For many people who live in California, the train accident of 2008 is still fresh in their memories. This crash killed 25 people and injured many more. If that weren’t bad enough, there was another fatal train accident in that same year. One is too many but when there are two train accidents in the same year, something is seriously wrong.
Now that it’s nearly a decade later, there should be significantly improved safety protocol in place – but is there? It’s true that after the accident there were cries of improved safety. There was even one solution that included a deadline: Every train would have a potentially life-saving train control system by the time the end of 2015 came by. Did they make it? Read on to learn more and then reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 if you or a loved one has been injured in a train accident.
Many railroads did not meet the deadlines they set
A report has shown that quite a few railroads throughout the state of California did not meet the deadline. Another accident in New York, in which four people died as a result of a train derailing while going into a curve at 82 miles per hour, has brought new pressure on the railroads to make sure that they’re doing everything they can to keep passengers safe.
How does a positive train control system work?
With a positive train control system, a satellite is used to adjust train controls if the train is going too fast or if it’s about to crash. The controls can adjust based on what the train is doing, and the crew on the train gets an alert if the system detects that an upcoming situation is likely to cause the train to crash.
It’s not hard to guess why the railroads don’t want to install the system
Most people can easily guess the reason the railroads are hesitant to put these systems into place: Money. Officials say that they’re prohibitively expensive. They say that if they have to install these positive train controls, then they’re not going to be able to afford other critical repairs that are needed. They claim that installing these systems may reduce some types of accidents but increase the chances of other types of accidents.
Ignoring potentially life-saving technology is unacceptable
At Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas, we believe it’s unacceptable to ignore technology that could save a life. Too many people suffer catastrophic injuries as a result of not having the right safety equipment. Other people suffer broken bones or more minor injuries, but those injuries take their toll and are equally unnecessary.
Experts say there’s only one way to ensure that train manufacturers and railroad companies are creating the safest vehicles possible: Making it more expensive not to make the changes than to make them. That means that if someone is injured in a train accident, they should immediately contact a personal injury attorney who can help hold the companies responsible. Reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 to learn more.
