Injuryboard Commentary - Killed

More Details In Deadly Diggins, Missouri Train Crash

Brett Emison — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 10:07:40 GMT

ABC affiliate, KSPR-33 has reported on more details in the deadly railroad crossing accident that killed Kristy Willis and injured her daughter, Kelsey.

I reported yesterday about this tragic train accident. Again, our thoughts and prayers to out to the family of Kristy Willis and her community.

Tim Bowden, whose children Tiffany Bowden and Carl Bowden survived the train crash by jumping from the pickup truck at the last second, said the train never blew its whistle or sounded a warning.

"It's a tragedy," he says. "From what my daughter told me, they pulled up on the tracks and nobody had even seen the train. The train didn't even blow a whistle, didn't blow a horn or nothing."

Neighbor, Nan Caldwell, confirmed that trains do not always blow their horn or sound a warning at this crossing. "You can't always here the train. They don't always blow the whistle," Caldwell said.

Missouri is one of the 10 deadliest states for train crashes and railroad crossing deaths. Burlington Northern Santa Fe (BNSF) railroad has been involved in many train-car collisions that have killed many drivers. In October, BNSF was hit with a $4 million penalty -- on top of a $21.6 million jury verdict -- because of its "staggering" pattern of misconduct that included destroying evidence in an attempted cover-up of its role in the deaths of four young people who were killed at one of its railroad crossings.

Railroad crossing collisions can have any number of causes. Some of these causes include:

Failure to install proper warnings, such as lights, alarms (crossing bells) or a functioning crossing gate
Defective warnings -- inoperable lights, bells or gates
Improper sight lines that prevent a vehicle's driver from seeing an oncoming train until it is too late
Failure to properly maintain the crossing -- such as allowing overgrown trees, vegetation and other foliage to obstruct or hide an oncoming train
Improperly parking a train at or near a crossing -- this not only hides an oncoming train from view, but gives motorists a false sense of safety in seeing a parked train at the crossing
Failure to sound the train's horn or whistle at or near the crossing
Other negligence that may appear on the train's data recorder or video recorder

Railroad companies should be held accountable for dangers railroad crossings that kill. Is there a different set of rules for railroad companies than for everyone else? If a railroad has a dangerous crossing where large trains speed through, shouldn't they warn approaching motorists? Why did the railroad never put up a proper warning device?

You can learn more about how to protect yourself at railroad crossings by visiting our railroad safety blog or web site.

Learn more and become a fan of Langdon & Emison on Facebook.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brett Emison

Toyota Recall: Time Magazine Suggests Recall Will Not End Sudden Acceleration Problems

Brett Emison — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:31:48 GMT

An article in Time magazine suggests that Toyota's massive recall will not end the controversy over the Toyota sudden acceleration defect.

But critics complain that Toyota was slow to acknowledge the problem, and may still not be dealing with it adequately. "I don't think Toyota has handled it well," says Clarence Ditlow, the director of the Center of Auto Safety in Washington, D.C. Ditlow says the record shows that Toyota executives first became aware of a possible problem 10 years ago — a scenario Toyota disputes — when the company replaced the floor mats on Lexus models sold in Great Britain. "There have been six different defect petitions [filed with the National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration, or NHTSA]," says Ditlow.

Other experts point to errant electrical signals that may be triggering some of the sudden accelerations. For some Toyota vehicles, reports of unintended acceleration and accelerator problems increased by more than 500% after the company adopted electronic drive-by-wire systems in its vehicles.

"With the electronic throttle, the driver is not really in control of the engine," said Antony Anderson, a Britain-based electrical engineering consultant who investigates electrical failures and has testified in sudden-acceleration lawsuits. "You are telling the computer, will you please move the throttle to a certain level, and the computer decides if it will obey you."

Time confirmed that Toyota's recall will change the shape of its accelerator pedal on millions of vehicles and that Toyota will install a brake-override system on some (but not all) of its vehicles. Experts continue to say that Toyota's recall effort is not enough and will not fix the underlying accelerator problems.

After ignoring this problem for more than five years and then lying to the public, Toyota appears to finally be doing something, but it doesn't look like it is doing enough or doing it soon enough.

More than 5 years ago, the Center for Auto Safety identified the electronic throttle control as the most likely source of the sudden acceleration defect. However, Toyota continues to public deny the possibility.

Toyota continues to deny that electronic technology was a factor in any reported case of unintended acceleration, said spokesman Mike Michels.

If there is no problem with the electronic throttle control system, then why is Toyota rolling out a "smart brake" technology to override the throttle when the brake is applied? If there is a problem with the electronic throttle control, then why doesn't Toyota provide the "smart brake" in all its vehicles. Clearly Toyota is not doing enough to protect its customers and the rest of us driving on American roads and highways.

Even the fixes Toyota has finally come up with won't be available until at least April of next year.

Other manufacturers have provided the "smart brake" system for years. This system overrides the throttle input when the brake is applied and makes sure that the car is able to stop. Toyota refused to provide this critical safety feature for years despite the ongoing sudden acceleration problems.

There have been more than 2,100 reported instances of Toyota sudden acceleration.

Why has it taken Toyota more than five years to finally address this problem? Why did so many Toyota owners and innocent passengers and other motorists need to be injured or killed before Toyota would do the right thing and at least try to fix the accelerator problem?

Did Toyota think it didn't have to play be the same rules as the rest of us?

Until Toyota finally creates a solution that actually fixes the problem, all Toyota drivers must be prepared. You can learn how to stop your vehicle if it experiences the sudden acceleration problem at this post.

You can learn more about the Toyota sudden acceleration defect by reading these previous reports of Toyota's sudden acceleration problem:

Toyota Sudden Acceleration Recall: Company Vows To "Make Better Cars"

Toyota Sudden Acceleration: Safety Experts Want Toyota Recall Expanded

Toyota Sudden Acceleration Recall: Company Focuses On Wrong Problem

Toyota Recall Won't Fix Accelerator Problem

Toyota Denied Sudden Acceleration Problem For More Than 5 Years

You can learn more about Toyota's dangerous sudden acceleration defect at our auto safety blog or by visiting our web site.

Learn more and become a fan of Langdon & Emison on Facebook.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brett Emison

Outdated Roads Are Dangerous for Pedestrians

John Cooper — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 21:50:09 GMT

I read a staggering and almost unbelievable statistic from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration the other day. Did you know that in the last 15 years there have been more than 76,000 people killed while crossing or walking along streets in America? In fact, just in the last decade over 43,000 were killed, which includes 3,906 children under 16 in that death toll. If you were to average that number out, it would be equivalent to a commercial jetliner filled with people crashing every 4 weeks. Sadly, pedestrian deaths receive no such media attention which might spark enough public awareness to promote safer roads.

Although the number of children and the elderly are disproportionately higher than other groups when it comes to pedestrian deaths, people of all ages and from all walks of life have been struck down during the simple act of walking. Typically labeled as an accident, a pedestrian death is often attributable to error on the part of the motorist. Whatever way you may categorize these tragic events, just about every pedestrian death occurred along roadways that were designed and built without consideration to anyone except the driver. Most roads and streets are dangerous by their very design as they were engineered for speeding vehicles with no provision for people that are walking, in wheelchairs or on a bike.

At the center of this conundrum is the increasingly greater push for cleaner, human-powered modes of transportation to limit the negative consequences of traffic congestion, oil dependency and pollution. Over the course of the last few years, towns and cities have begun to re-build poorly designed roads to become streets with proper sidewalks and bicycle lanes, along with reducing cross-walk lengths to make it safer for pedestrians and more alluring to the general population. Safer streets have been proven to save lives not only for pedestrians and motorists, but also in the fact that they encourage residents to become more physically active and get outside to walk more.

Sadly, pedestrian death statistics will not decrease overnight. It will take much effort and public awareness to fix obsolete and unsafe road design. Perhaps, in the future our highways will become friendlier to pedestrians and allow motorist ample time to react as the smarter roads could help even the most distracted driver to be aware of someone on foot sharing the road.

About the Editors: Shapiro, Cooper Lewis & Appleton personal injury law firm is based in Virginia (VA), near the NE North Carolina (NC) border and handles car,truck,railroad, and medical negligence cases and more. Our lawyers proudly edit the Virginia Beach Injuryboard, Norfolk Injuryboard, and Northeast North Carolina Injuryboard as a pro bono public information service. Lawyers licensed in: VA, NC, SC, WV, DC, KY.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by John Cooper

One Dead, Three Injured in I-40 Crash Caused by Hit and Run Big Rig

George Fusner — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 14:58:19 GMT

Another tragedy involving teenagers. Lindsey Toft of Montery was killed in an accident on I-40. The November 22^nd crash also left three others injured.

She and her sister, Jessica Toft, 17, were passengers in the back seat of a 2004 Ford SUV being driven by Matthew Harris, 18, of Hanging Limb Highway, Monterey. His sister, Kayla Harris, 19, also of Hanging Limb Highway, was riding in the front seat beside her brother. The four teens were on their way home from seeing a movie, according to the State Trooper Scott Bilbrey’s report. A tractor trailer truck was traveling in the lane left of the teen’s vehicle. The truck driver apparently had given a signal that he was moving over, attempted to enter the Ford’s lane. Harris blew his horn, but still had to swerve to avoid being hit. The Ford then struck the right-side guardrail, and bounced back onto the highway. It then struck a second tractor trailer, ejecting Lindsey Toft through the rear-window. Both Lindsey Toft and her sister Jessica were not wearing seat belts. The report said the SUV was in the the tractor trailers "blind spot." At night that "blind spot" is much reduced as the driver can see the headlights of the vehicle if he looks.

All accidents resulting in injury or death should be investigated quickly and thoroughly. This becomes even more important when it’s a hit and run case like this.

In Tennessee, while citations can be issued for non use of seat belts, failure to use a seat belt cannot be used to decrease awards of lawsuits for negligence of other drivers in crashes. This means that Toft’s family’s damage award would not be reduced by her non-use of a seatbelt. But this presumes that the at fault truck driver can be found – which is why the Toft family should demand nothing short of an immediate investigation or hire an experienced tractor trailer attorney to investigate for them!

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by George Fusner

Six Killed; Several Injured In Chicago-Area Holiday Crashes

Brett Emison — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 10:18:36 GMT

The Chicago Sun-Times has reported on multiple fatalities and injuries in holiday weekend crashes:

Six people were killed and several others injured in traffic accidents over the holiday weekend in the city and suburbs.

About 3 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, a vehicle traveling north on South Cicero Avenue swerved into the southbound lanes and struck a vehicle at 6931 S. Cicero Ave., police said. The vehicle continued southbound and struck a pedestrian at 6659 S. Cicero Ave.

The pedestrian, Elias Nunez, 21, of 4246 W. 103rd St. in Oak Lawn, was taken to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in critical condition. He was later pronounced dead at 9:28 a.m. Thursday, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Fire Media Affairs Cmdr. Will Knight said four others were also hurt in the crash, prompting a five-ambulance response to the scene. The driver of the vehicle was allegedly intoxicated and taken into police custody following the crash.

Anthony Morales, 31, of the 5500 block of South Homan Avenue, was charged with felony aggravated DUI and cited with following too closely and failure to reduce speed, according to police News Affairs. He was also cited for leaving the scene of a property damage accident.

Judge Maria Kuriakos-Ciesil set Morales' bond at $300,000 during a Saturday hearing, according to a court spokeswoman.

The crashes continued all day Thursday, including a motorist striking a wall on I-290 and South Pulaski Road Thursday afternoon; a vehicle hitting a cyclist Thursday evening in the 5600 block of West Lawrence Avenue and a man in a pick-up truck crashing into a house in the 9300 block of South Chicago Avenue Thursday night. The man was pinned inside the vehicle and hospitalized in critical condition.

Early Friday morning, as Black Friday shoppers backed up traffic in west suburban Aurora, a woman was hit by a car near the suburb’s outlet mall.

On the South Side Friday night, eight people inside a Buick Regal were injured when the vehicle crashed into a tree in the 900 block of West Garfield Boulevard. Six of the injured were children.

About 7 a.m. Saturday, Spero Zappas, 63, of Joliet, was driving an orange 2006 Pontiac Solstice north on Interstate 55 near southwest suburban Plainfield when he attempted to pass a semi truck in the right lane at a high rate of speed, state police said. Zappas lost control of the Solstice and the car went airborne into a ditch, ejecting him from the vehicle. Zappas was dead on the scene, and may have been racing another vehicle at the time of the incident.

Around the same time, Giovanni Herrera, 18, of 1630 Whitcomb Ave. in Des Plaines, was pronounced dead at Resurrection Medical Center after a crash on Kennedy Expressway on the Northwest Side, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.

Herrera was driving a 2004 Chrysler Sebring west on the Kennedy Expressway, near Northeast River Road, when the car struck a westbound 2006 Chevrolet at 5:59 a.m. Saturday, Illinois State Police Sgt. D. Stokes said. He somehow lost control of the Sebring, leaving the road and striking a light pole, Stokes said.

In Aurora Saturday afternoon, a Kawasaki Ninja motorcycle traveling west on Sullivan Road collided with a Chevrolet crossover SUV turning onto eastbound Sullivan Road from a religious temple around 1:45 p.m. in the 1100 block of West Sullivan Road, according to a statement from the Aurora Police Department.

Miguel Gomez-Ortiz, 29, of the 1000 block of Cascade Drive, Aurora, was killed in the accident, police said. He was wearing a helmet, but it was dislodged on impact with the SUV.

Saturday night, a 2004 Nissan was traveling south on Interstate 57 when the driver attempted to abruptly change lanes and crashed about 11:40 p.m. near 127th Street, an Illinois State Police District Chicago trooper said.

The Nissan spun out, hit a guardrail on the left side of the interstate then rolled in the right lane -- partially ejecting the driver.

The driver--Kevin Edwards, 19, of 6206 White Birch Lane in Matteson, was pronounced dead at Ingalls Memorial Hospital in Harvey at 12:07 a.m. Sunday.

Just after midnight on Sunday, Dustin Avenarius, of Brisbin Road in Yorkville, was traveling on Hopkins Road in rural Kendall County when his pickup truck went off the road, striking a tree and then catching fire, Toftoy said. Avenarius was pronounced dead on the scene.

Learn more about auto accidents and auto safety at our auto safety blog or at our web site.

Learn more and become a fan of Langdon & Emison on Facebook.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brett Emison

Workers lose their lives in the Construction trade

Doug Landau — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 23:01:00 GMT

With over 6 million people in the construction trades in the United States, it is a significant sector of our economy, However, construction is also one of the most dangerous kind of work, with over 8,000 workers killed on construction sites each year and many thousands injured and maimed for life. At ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd., we see first-hand some of the devastation caused by unsafe construction practices and lax inspection, regulation and enforcement by state, local and federal agencies. We have tried cases were our clients have been injured or killed on construction sites. Some of the injuries were caused by:

* Falls from roofing,
* Loads dropped on a workers head,
* Failure of scaffolding causing falls from heights,
* Unsecured stairways, steps or ramps,
* Wood snapping, breaking or coming loose,
* Getting shot with a nail from a nail gun,Ladders twisting and falling,
* Explosions causing hearing loss,
* Asbestos dust particles causing lung damage,
* Combustible materials catching firing and causing burns,
* Construction vehicles hitting other trucks, cars and workers on the ground.

If you or someone you know has been injured in a construction site accident, e-mail us at ABRAMS LANDAU, Ltd., or call 703-796-9555 today.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Doug Landau

I-35 Texas Car Accident Involves a Cyclone and a Hawkeye Football Player

Steve Lombardi — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 10:33:13 GMT

David Cato, 19 who plays defensive back for the Iowa Hawkeyes and Ter’ran Denton, (sic) 19 a defensive back from the Iowa State Cyclones were driving on I-35 south of Purcell at 10:00 a.m. on a Sunday when the car they were in rolled after coming in contact with a semi-truck. According to the news report the trooper has the 18-wheeler being nudged before rolling and striking the embankment on the west side of the Interstate Highway.

Both Cato and Denton were wearing seatbelts. Both required medical care and treatment. It appears the most seriously injured was Denton, the Iowa State Cyclone, who was transported to the Norman Regional Hospital for a head injury. There is no indication if he suffered from traumatic brain injury or how serious and extensive his head injury.

David Cato is listed on the Iowa Hawkeye Football team roster as a sophomore defensive back from Arlington, Texas. He is listed as second on the depth chart behind Sash.

David Cato

So.

5-11/205

Arlington, TX (Summit)

Ter’ran Benton is listed on the Cyclones roster as also from Arlington, Texas and a defensive back in his sophomore year. The roster has his last name as Benton not Denton.

Benton, Ter'ran

6-0

197

So.

Arlington, Texas (Summit)

Read Lombardi on The Verdict.

Hawkeye Cato and Cyclone Benton involved in I-35 Collision in Texas...
Posted on 11/26/2009

I-35 Texas Car Accident Involves a Cyclone and a Hawkeye Football Player

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Steve Lombardi

Deadly Tractor Trailer Crashes In Nevada and Indiana

Brett Emison — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 10:57:47 GMT

The Herald-Citizen and RGJ.com have reported on deadly semi truck accidents that occurred in Tennessee and Nevada. In Tennessee, an 18-year-old Monterey girl was killed in a crash on I-40 after a tractor trailer ran her vehicle off the road. In Nevada, Susan Sakurada was killed in a massive pile up after an eighteen wheeler slammed into the back of her vehicle.

From Tennessee:

MONTEREY -- An 18-year-old Monterey girl was fatally injured in a traffic crash on Interstate 40 in Monterey about 7 p.m. Sunday, according to the Tennessee Highway Patrol. Three other teens in the vehicle were injured. Lindsey A. Toft, of Evergreen Lane, Monterey, was pronounced dead at Cookeville Regional Hospital following the accident, said State Trooper Scott Bilbrey. She and her sister, Jessica Toft, 17, were passengers in the back seat of a 2004 Ford SUV being driven by Matthew Harris, 18, of Hanging Limb Highway, Monterey. His sister, Kayla Harris, 19, also of Hanging Limb Highway, was riding in the front seat beside her brother.

The four teens had been to Crossville to see a movie and were on their way back home, the trooper said. In the westbound lanes just east of Monterey, a tractor trailer truck was traveling in the left lane alongside the Ford SUV. The truck driver attempted to enter the right lane, and that forced Matthew Harris to swerve over off the road to avoid being hit, and the truck traveled on, the trooper said. "The truck had given a signal that he was moving over, and Matthew Harris blew his horn, but had to move to the side to keep from being hit," the trooper said. The Ford SUV may have been in the trucker's blind spot, Trooper Bilbrey said.

After moving over, the Ford SUV hit the guardrail, then bounced back onto the highway and struck another tractor trailer truck which had been traveling right behind the Ford, the trooper said. "That second truck swerved trying to keep from hitting Matt's SUV, but there was a collision, and Lindsey A. Toft was ejected through the back window."

From Nevada:

The Nevada Highway Patrol today released the name of a person killed in a massive accident on Friday that involved nine vehicles and injured seven people.

Susan Carol Sakurada, 52 of Winnemucca, was killed in the crash that happened at around 12:18 p.m., NHP spokesman Chuck Allen said.

***

Sakurada was riding in a white 1992 Ford F-350 crew cab pickup driven by her husband, Donn Lee Sakurada, when they struck a tractor-trailer that was stopped in the road for a separate crash, Allen said. Shortly after that accident, the Sakurada's truck was hit from behind by another tractor-trailer driven by Slawominr Lojek, 34, of Chicago.

***

The accident involved a total of four big rigs, four pickups and one Ford SUV.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of those injured and killed in these tragic accidents. Truck drivers owe a duty to the driving public to use the highest degree of care when driving their 80,000 pound vehicles. Truckers and trucking companies need to be more vigilant about safety.

Too many people have been killed by semi truck crashes and trucking accidents.

Nationwide, large trucks (known as tractor trailers, semi trucks, eighteen wheelers, diesel, big rigs, or commercial trucks) make up only about 3% of the vehicles on the road. However, they account for far more traffic fatalities. For example, in Missouri, semi truck crashes make up as much as 15% of traffic deaths. In Illinois, tractor trailer crashes cause more than 10% of traffic deaths.

The National Transportation Safety Board ("NTSB") lists the following as some of the most common causes of big rig accidents:

Poor Driver Training

Driver Fatigue (Tiredness)

Speeding

Overloaded Trucks

Oversized Trucks

Brake Failure

Poor Driving Conditions

Driver Inexperience

Failure To Yield The Right-Of-Way

Driving Under The Influence of Alcohol Or Drugs

Aggressive, Dangerous Or Reckless Driving

Mechanical Failure (Or Improper Maintenance)

Defective Parts (Such As Defective Steering Or Brakes)

Truckers and trucking companies must be mindful of each of these trucking accident causes.

Visit our trucking accident web site to learn more about trucking accident safety or trucking accident investigation.

Learn more and become a fan of Langdon & Emison on Facebook.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brett Emison

Parents, Child Killed In California Vehicle Fire

Brett Emison — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:22:55 GMT

KTLA has reported that a mother, father and child were killed when their Chevy Blazer struck a parked semi-truck and caught fire on the 210 Freeway near Sunland Boulevard in Sunland, near Los Angeles, California. Two other children were pulled from the burning vehicle and expected to be released.

SUNLAND -- Two children were pulled from the burning wreckage of a freeway crash that killed their father, mother and teenage brother in Sunland Sunday morning, authorities said.

The collision on the westbound shoulder of the freeway just east of Sunland Boulevard happened about 5 a.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. The GMC the family was riding in smashed into the back of a big rig that was legally parked on the side of the 210 Freeway, said Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The GMC burst into flames and ignited a small brush fire nearby that was quickly extinguished.

A passerby dragged a boy, 11, and girl, 9, from the burning wreckage, Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

The bodies of the father 41, the mother, 40, and their 14-year-old son were later found in the vehicle.

The surviving children were taken to Children's Hospital with minor injuries and were expected to be released to the custody of their grandparents, California Highway Patrol officials told KTLA News.

Our hearts go out to the children who survived this tragic fire and they and their family are in our thoughts and prayers. There were at least two post-collision vehicle fires on the 210 Freeway on Sunday. The other crash involved a pickup that burned after its tire blew and caused the driver to lose control.

Fire accidents like this are tragic and should not happen.

A person should not survive a crash only to be burned alive in a vehicle fire.

Car makers know that people should not burn alive in their vehicles, but it happens nearly every day. According to the US Fire Administration, post-collision vehicle fires are the leading cause of vehicle-related deaths. These fires ignite for a variety of reasons, including failure to incorporate anti-siphoning (anti-leak) valves, failure to include fuel filler tube check valves, misrouting of fuel lines, failure to protect fuel lines, improper placement of the fuel tank inside the vehicle's crush zone, and inadequate shielding of the fuel tank.

You can learn much more about vehicle fires... what causes them and how they can be prevented at this previous article: Burned Alive: What You Need To Know About Fuel Fed Fire Defects.

Become a fan of Langdon & Emison on Facebook.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brett Emison

Pastor, Wife Killed In Louisiana Train Accident

Brett Emison — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 10:07:30 GMT

WAFB has reported that Pastor Fanley Thomas and his wife, Florence, were killed at a railroad crossing in Le Moyen, Louisiana on Sunday morning on their way to church.

LE MOYEN, LA (WAFB) - A St. Landry Parish pastor and his wife died after authorities said a train slammed into their car Sunday morning.

Pastor Fanley Thomas and his wife, Florence, were killed at a railroad crossing in the town of Le Moyen, which is located in the northern part of the parish.

According to sheriff's deputies, the train hit the car on the passenger side, causing it to burst into flames.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Pastor Thomas's family and congregation. This event is a tragic reminder of railroad crossing accident dangers and a call to action for all railroad companies to make their crossings safer. Railroad companies owe it to the public to make sure that no one dies in another train crash like this one.

There have been several tragic railroad crossing crashes in recent months -- many due to defects and problems with the crossings themselves.

There were reports in New Jersey of railroad crossing signal malfunctions that caused warning lights to go off when no train was present. These malfunctions lead to train collisions.

Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad (BNSF) was fined $4 million for lying to a Minnesota court and attempting to cover up its role in a tragic train crossing crash that killed four people.

Relatives and extended church family of Pastor Thomas and his wife, Florence, are mourning their loss. Pastor Thomas just recently warned his community about the dangers of having a train crossing with no warning lights. Pastor Thomas will be missed by those who knew him.

"If you didn't meet this fellow, you missed a gem because he was one of the greatest people to walk the face of this earth," said Raymon Whitehurst, Thomas's brother-in-law.

You can learn more about how to protect yourself at railroad crossings at by visiting our railroad safety blog or web site.

Learn more and become a fan of Langdon & Emison on Facebook.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Brett Emison