# Indiana third nationally for crossing collisions in 2018



## Thirdrail7 (Dec 15, 2018)

This report came out after  an Amtrak train speared a car near Hammond.

UPDATE: Amtrak train splits car in half in Whiting, sending man to hospital; Indiana third nationally for crossing collisions in 2018

https://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/lake/update-amtrak-train-splits-car-in-half-in-whiting-sending/article_20701ce3-e013-549f-aaea-2839aec7677c.html



> Jeffrey M. Colovos, of Lake Village, was the second of two drivers who drove around lowered crossing gates about 4:30 p.m. at the 117th Street crossing near Whiting Lakefront Park, Police Chief Steve Miller said.
> *Indiana is ranked third nationally for crossing collisions in 2018, according to the Federal Railroad Administration's Office of Safety Analysis. From January to September there were **107 crashes**at public railroad crossings, the report said, ranking Indiana just below California and Texas.*
> When it comes to fatalities, *ndiana also ranks as the **third highest in the nation with a total of 11 railroad crossing fatalities so far in 2018, just below California and Illinois.*
> Witnesses told police the first driver made it through the crossing, but Colovos' vehicle was struck, he said


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## cpotisch (Dec 15, 2018)

Is this really that significant of a metric, though? Indiana has a lot of trains, as does California, Texas, and Illinois, so it makes sense. Would something like average crossing collisions or crossing fatalities per train in the state be a more effective measurement? Just thinking out loud here.


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## Anderson (Dec 16, 2018)

I was thinking something similar.  Either track miles or grade crossings might be an easier metric to use.  However, the fact that Indiana has more crashes than (say) Illinois or Ohio (bigger states) doesn't speak to well for them.


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## neroden (Dec 19, 2018)

Indiana has an unusually high number of grade crossings, IIRC.  Texas and Illinois have even more.  California actually doesn't have that many...


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 19, 2018)

neroden said:


> Indiana has an unusually high number of grade crossings, IIRC.  Texas and Illinois have even more.  California actually doesn't have that many...


Since most  Drivers in California actually know how to Drive compared to the Morons in Texas,Illinois and other States with High Counts of  Vehicle/Train Collisions.


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## cpotisch (Dec 19, 2018)

Bob Dylan said:


> neroden said:
> 
> 
> > Indiana has an unusually high number of grade crossings, IIRC.  Texas and Illinois have even more.  California actually doesn't have that many...
> ...


Yep. That’s pretty dead on. It is surprising how much of a discrepancy in driver skill there often is between states. I’m glad that Florida only has three passenger trains, considering how consistently idiotic pretty much every single Floridian driver is. For example, last summer we were turning onto a 20 mph road down there, and a 20 year old moron going 50 mph in a massive pick up truck clipped the front left corner of the car, and ripped the bumper and part of the headlight off.

Put simply, only a moron would choose to go to Florida.


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## jis (Dec 19, 2018)

cpotisch said:


> I’m glad that* Florida only has three passenger trains*, considering how consistently idiotic pretty much every single Floridian driver is. For example, last summer we were turning onto a 20 mph road down there, and a 20 year old moron going 50 mph in a massive pick up truck clipped the front left corner of the car, and ripped the bumper and part of the headlight off.
> 
> Put simply, *only a moron would choose to go to Florida*.


Seems like anyone who believes that Florida has only three passenger trains is the moron among us LOL! :lol: Not surprising that he is coming to visit Florida  Hey - what is good for the Goose is good for the gander. 

 Juuust pulling your leg of course, but it does seem a bit over the top to characterize all drivers in Florida as morons just because there are some, and perhaps even a larger proportion than at a few other places.


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## cpotisch (Dec 19, 2018)

jis said:


> cpotisch said:
> 
> 
> > I’m glad that* Florida only has three passenger trains*, considering how consistently idiotic pretty much every single Floridian driver is. For example, last summer we were turning onto a 20 mph road down there, and a 20 year old moron going 50 mph in a massive pick up truck clipped the front left corner of the car, and ripped the bumper and part of the headlight off.
> ...


Oh my god, what am I saying (face palm). I was thinking _Amtrak _trains, but obviously that is not what I said. Word salad, anyone?  :help:


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## Seaboard92 (Dec 20, 2018)

Brightline has a pretty good kill streak. It seams like every other day they hit someone or something. And the silvers do a decent chunk as well.


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## jis (Dec 20, 2018)

Seaboard92 said:


> Brightline has a pretty good kill streak. It seams like every other day they hit someone or something. And the silvers do a decent chunk as well.


Not to mention Tri-Rail and SunRail. They are quite involved too, which is not a surprise. Also CSX and FECR freights should get an honorable mention while we are at it. It is not like there were no casualties before Brightline on FECR.


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## railiner (Dec 20, 2018)

jis said:


> Not to mention Tri-Rail and SunRail. They are quite involved too, which is not a surprise. Also CSX and FECR freights should get an honorable mention while we are at it. It is not like there were no casualties before Brightline on FECR.


Must be that bright Florida sun in their eyes....


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## jis (Dec 21, 2018)

At least Florida is not amongst the honorable top three positions  Sun must not be quite that bright afterall. :lol:


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## neroden (Dec 25, 2018)

Florida has the highest pedestrian casualty rate in the country.  It's obvious that the drivers in Florida *are*, on average, substantially worse than drivers in the rest of the country.


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## railiner (Dec 26, 2018)

neroden said:


> Florida has the highest pedestrian casualty rate in the country.  It's obvious that the drivers in Florida *are*, on average, substantially worse than drivers in the rest of the country.


Possibly due to demographics?   As in very 'senior'?


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## cpotisch (Dec 26, 2018)

railiner said:


> neroden said:
> 
> 
> > Florida has the highest pedestrian casualty rate in the country.  It's obvious that the drivers in Florida *are*, on average, substantially worse than drivers in the rest of the country.﻿
> ...


Possibly, but then again we were t-boned last year by a 20 year old in a giant pickup truck, not a senior. The sense I’ve _generally_ gotten down here is that drivers just tend to be kind of careless. There are plenty who aren’t, but plenty who are.


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## jis (Dec 26, 2018)

Florida is an ideal place for practicing defensive driving to the max. There are a plethora of terrible drivers, young and old, who should rightfully not be in possession of a valid driving license, but are. And a significant proportion appear to suffer from color blindness or night blindness or both. The number of people who blithely drive around with their high beams permanently on is disconcerting too. And half the driver population are yet to discover the existence of that little lever by the steering wheel that does the turn signal thing too. IOW, a disconcerting number of drivers in Florida are, to put it mildly, morons. I live here, and am accident and ticket free so far, suggesting that I practice what I preach in the first sentence, to the max myself.


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## railiner (Dec 26, 2018)

The way I see it, all of the US states are very lax in the training and skills needed to obtain a basic driver's license.   It is seen more as a 'right', than as a 'privilege'.   The experience required, and the road test given, are pretty sad, in comparison with places like Germany, where they take driving very seriously...

I suppose politics would prevent ever striving for that standard, in this country...


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## Bob Dylan (Dec 26, 2018)

railiner said:


> The way I see it, all of the US states are very lax in the training and skills needed to obtain a basic driver's license.   It is seen more as a 'right', than as a 'privilege'.   The experience required, and the road test given, are pretty sad, in comparison with places like Germany, where they take driving very seriously...
> 
> I suppose politics would prevent ever striving for that standard, in this country...


Sad, but True! :help:


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## seat38a (Jan 29, 2019)

neroden said:


> Indiana has an unusually high number of grade crossings, IIRC.  Texas and Illinois have even more.  California actually doesn't have that many...


A big part of the all of the money being spent on the CAHSR also involves grade separating existing crossings. More are also being removed from corridor improvement projects such as the ones going on on the LOSSAN corridor. The grade crossings that do still exists were generally beefed up due to cities and communities wanting quiet zones.

Ventura county is one county that has no special transportation sales tax so really does not invest in any grade separation which is a shame.


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