Content on this page requires a newer version of Adobe Flash Player.

Get Adobe Flash player
Road accidents, youclaim.co.uk

Car accident with train in level crossing incident

Individuals unfortunate enough to witness or experience first hand a car accident involving a train, when the incident was not their fault, may be shocked to know that in 2010 many motorists deliberately drove over level crossings in a way which put their lives and the lives of others at risk, and could have caused a train accident.

Taking risks
Although the number of crashes involving trains and road vehicles fell from 14 in 2009, to seven in 2010, and pedestrian deaths at level crossings decreased from 13, to four – the amount of drivers who drove through warning lights at rail crossings increased by 15%.

In 2010, Network Rail, which owns and operates the large majority or Britain's rail infrastructure, revealed that there had been an increase, from 2009, of near-misses due to motorists ignoring the barriers at crossings.

This increase brought the figure to 161 incidents, which could potentially have been extremely severe and almost certainly fatal for the car driver. Further, 748 motorists were recorded as having crossed the rails when the flashing warning lights had indicated it was no longer safe.

Pedestrians also risked personal injury and death when crossing the line at both manned and unmanned barriers – 297 individuals narrowly missing being hit by a passing train and 768 were reported to have crossed when it was no longer safe to do so.

As a whole, 3,446 incidents occurred in 2010, including cars hitting the safety barriers, people leaving crossing gates open, leaving the phone off the hook, and not contacting the signaller before venturing to cross unmanned posts.

Level crossings
There are five different types of level crossings in the UK which all work slightly differently.

  • Barrier crossing – have barriers or half barriers across the road and warning lights;

  • Staff operated crossings – have gates on both sides of the rails and a staff member will close them manually before a train arrives, and reopen them for traffic after the train has passed;

  • User worked crossings – are manually operated by the car's driver and have either a phone to contact the signaller, or lights, to warn of an approaching train;

  • Open crossings – have no barriers and users are warned of this on approach by road signs;

  • Footpath crossings – these are pedestrian rail crossings and are manually operated by the user.

Would you like to make a car accident claim?
If you have suffered a level crossing-related personal injury due to someone else's negligence at rail barriers, then our expert claim solicitors could help you receive 100% compensation from your case.

To contact us by phone and discuss your car accident case, just dial 0800 10 757 95, or alternatively, use our short online claim form, talk to an adviser on live help, or request a call back.

Can I claim?

Case Studies

Car accident injury news