Sunday, July 15, 2001

Killing statistics

Texas once again leads the nation in the number of fatal car-train collisions

AUSTIN - Texas has once again earned the dubious distinction of being No. 1 in the nation in highway-rail collisions, which is when a vehicle crashes with a train or vice versa.
   According to the U.S. Federal Railroad Administration, 388 collisions occurred at highway-rail crossings in Texas in 2000 compared with 365 in 1999.
   The collisions killed 52 people in Texas, which was an increase from 41 fatalities in 1999. Nationwide, 414 people were killed in 2,981 vehicle-train collisions at rail crossings in 2000.
   These numbers are disturbing because this is the second year in a row that train-vehicle collisions have increased in Texas, reversing a trend of declining train-vehicle accidents. From 1980 to 1998, such collisions had decreased dramatically from 1,215 to 322.
   ''We are starting this new century on a discouraging note,'' said Railroad Commission Chairman Michael Williams. ''Ironically, in our fast-paced, high-tech world when it comes to crossing any train track, we must recall the old-fashioned advice our grandmothers gave us - stop, look and listen.''
   Texas has nearly 12,000 miles of mainline track and 18,000 highway-rail crossings - the most of any state in the nation. That means Texans are at an increased risk of such collisions.
   The new vehicle-train collision numbers have prompted state officials to remind Texans about the dangers of railroad crossings, and to urge drivers to be more aware of their surroundings.
   ''Even if you see a train miles down the track, it's closer than you think,'' said Tony Garza, railroad commissioner. ''A freight train moving at 55 miles per hour can take a mile or more to stop once the emergency brakes are applied - that's the length of at least 18 football fields. It's a deadly game that the train will always win.''
   Garza attributes the increase in collisions to population growth and the fast pace of people's lives. ''By virtue of the pace, we sometimes forget the most basic things - like you can't beat the train."
   But consumer groups say it's not just motorists who are at fault. Some collisions occur at rail crossings with no warning system - such as gates or flashing lights - to alert drivers of an oncoming train. That has prompted lawsuits against railroad companies, claiming that the railroad failed to install adequate warning devices at a crossing or obstructed the view of the train somehow.
   Nationwide, 80 percent of all public railroad crossings don't have lights and gates, according to the RailWatch, a consumer group. But millions of dollars have been spent on campaigns to educate drivers about the dangers of railroad crossings.
   In Texas, 24 percent of the highway-rail collisions in 2000 occurred where there were crossing gates, according to the Texas Railroad Commission. And 55 percent of the motorists involved never stopped at the intersection before the train hit them.
   Texas counties with the most highway-rail crossing collisions in 2000 include: Harris (43); Dallas (22); Wise (14); Bexar (13); Tarrant (13); Montgomery (12); Jefferson (11); Webb (9) and Collin (7).
   And the collisions continue this year. According to the Railroad Commission, 113 highway-rail grade crossing collisions occurred in the state through the first four months of 2001.
   The collisions are occurring despite an Operation Lifesaver advertising campaign that officials unveiled February in Texas,.
   Some consumer groups say railroad companies need to do more to make their crossings safe. Ideally, all crossings would have lights or gates or both. But no matter who is at fault, drivers should remember this advice from Operation Lifesaver: Always expect a train when you approach a railroad crossing. Your life and the lives of your loved ones could depend on it.
  
   Ty Meighan is chief of the Scripps Howard Austin Bureau and can be reached at 512-334-6640 or meighant@scripps.com.
  
  

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Ty Meighan is chief of the Scripps Howard Austin Bureau. You can reach him by phone at (512) 334-6640 or by email at meighant@scripps.com.

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