# Caltrain Accident In Redwood City Leaves One Dead



## DET63 (Sep 16, 2009)

> REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- A man was killed late Tuesday afternoon in a crash involving a Caltrain in Redwood City, a Caltrain spokeswoman said.
> At about 4:50 p.m., southbound train No. 362 struck a Honda in the area of Whipple Avenue and El Camino Real. The driver and sole occupant of the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the San Mateo County coroner's office.
> 
> Caltrain spokeswoman Christine Dunn said the Honda was traveling west on Whipple Avenue when a San Carlos fire engine approached heading south on El Camino Real to a structure fire.
> ...


Link


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## Rumpled (Sep 16, 2009)

I don't think it's no fault of the driver. Looking at the intersection in Google maps shows three lanes westbound on Whipple; widening to five with turn lanes at the tracks.

Yet, only one car hit. Looks like the other two traffic lanes may not have stopped on the tracks. He may have had an option to uturn on Whipple or back up on Whipple or into Stafford had he sensed danger.

All supposition on my part.

Not entering on the active tracks until you have room to clear them is best.

Still, tragic.


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## Green Maned Lion (Sep 16, 2009)

What, did the car teleport onto the tracks?

No. It drove on to them. Because the driver wasn't paying enough attention to stop before them. Its the driver's bloody fault.


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## Spokker (Sep 17, 2009)

If he was unable to move it sounds like his car died, otherwise, I don't know what his problem was. Caltrain is a pretty busy corridor so maybe it was just bad timing.

It's a very peculiar story.


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## amtrakwolverine (Sep 18, 2009)

why didn't the driver get out of the car. the car can be replaced.


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## gswager (Sep 18, 2009)

amtrakwolverine said:


> why didn't the driver get out of the car. the car can be replaced.


Maybe he was panic.


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## the_traveler (Sep 18, 2009)

I never block an intersection or go across tracks unless I know I can clear them if I do have to stop. And unless I'm driving at like 600 MPH, I could see cars stopped very close in front of my car! So, not blaming him for what happened, but he should have known about the stopped traffic up ahead. Besides those 2 steel rails and the gates or bells may give some idea not to stop there! And if the road had multiple lanes, why did the other vehicles stop off the tracks and not get hit? Maybe this driver wasn't paying attention!


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## PetalumaLoco (Sep 18, 2009)

We need to have some new bumper stickers made:

THIS VEHICLE STOPS ON ALL RAILROAD CROSSINGS


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## DET63 (Sep 19, 2009)

gswager said:


> amtrakwolverine said:
> 
> 
> > why didn't the driver get out of the car. the car can be replaced.
> ...


I tend to think that he instinctively stopped when he heard the siren, realized he was on the tracks, then froze in panic.


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## ALC Rail Writer (Sep 19, 2009)

Still this is driver's ed: NEVER stop dead on a train track, EVER.


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## AlanB (Sep 19, 2009)

ALC_Rail_Writer said:


> Still this is driver's ed: NEVER stop dead on a train track, EVER.


Actually one should add to that; "always go over the tracks at a minimum speed of 5 MPH." That way you have enough forward momentum to actually clear the tracks if your car stalls for any reason while crossing the tracks.


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## zoltan (Sep 20, 2009)

If it was indeed the case that the driver panicked, froze, and a as a result didn't take action that would have saved his life, I can sympathise. I will probably never drive, because I'm very bad at dealing with unexpected situations requiring calm action, not within two minutes after I've thought it through, but immediately, in the split second.

A friend of mine spent about ten years at a school teaching the equivalent of driver's ed at the time, and took the view that psychological testing ought to feature in the decision of whether a driver's license is awarded, and incidents like this where drivers do not react to a situation, in the way they ought to have done, as well as incidents where drivers act immaturely - in some way taking revenge on a driver that pulls out in front of them, for example, support that view. The problem is that America is so car dependent, you have to have a testing system in which more or less anyone can, with enough hard work and enough attempts, get a license, or you confine a whole load of people to being excluded from the normal activities that a normal person undertakes. This is why people like me are on the roads.


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## GG-1 (Sep 20, 2009)

zoltan said:


> This is why people like me are on the roads.


Aloha

I believe a person can teach/train themselves for the unexpected. What one needs to do is think ... What if ... that what I do.

Go through this kind on mental exercise on a regular bases keeps you alert and prepared.


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## PRR 60 (Sep 21, 2009)

The issue at this crossing is the signalized intersection directly ahead. When the traffic signal is red, the traffic stacks until it reaches the tracks. Human nature being what it is, sometimes the traffic stops on the tracks. The crossing is designed to clear that problem with the traffic signal interlocked with the grade crossing signal. When the grade crossing is activated, the traffic signal ahead turns green allowing the Whipple Avenue traffic to clear the grade crossing area. That is standard design for grade crossings and signalized traffic intersections in close proximity.

In this case, the fire truck passing fouled the plan. With the fire truck coming on El Camino Real, the traffic on Whipple Avenue was stopped. The gates came down with the traffic ahead now unable to move. The car on the tracks could not go forward due to traffic, and could not reverse due to traffic and the downed gates. It was trapped. Of course, the car should not have been on the tracks, but under normal circumstances the traffic would have cleared without incident.

Here is an aerial of the crossing and intersection. Note that even this photo shows stopped traffic fouling the tracks.

Whipple Avenue Crossing


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## DET63 (Sep 21, 2009)

> Whipple Avenue Crossing


The intersection with Stafford Street on the opposite side of the crossing from El Camino Real creates an even more complicated situation, and it's likely that drivers don't think about whether they can clear the tracks before they enter the Stafford intersection.


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## the_traveler (Sep 22, 2009)

> Whipple Avenue Crossing


Even so, but you noticed that there are 2 "dumb" drivers (that stopped on the tracks) and 1 smart driver (who stopped well before the tracks).


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## Rumpled (Sep 22, 2009)

I'd say two stopped directly on rails and two more (possibly a third) that are certainly within the width of the train cars passing over said tracks.


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## DET63 (Sep 22, 2009)

the_traveler said:


> > Whipple Avenue Crossing
> 
> 
> Even so, but you noticed that there are 2 "dumb" drivers (that stopped on the tracks) and 1 smart driver (who stopped well before the tracks).


We don't know that the driver is in fact "stopped," since this is a still photo. It's possible he/she went onto the tracks before the other side cleared, but after the photo was taken. However, it's possible that the driver, assuming he/she did stop, arrived at the intersection a bit after the other vehicles, and realized that it was unsafe to go further, while the other drivers may have entered the intersection and the crossing under the mistaken assumption they'd be able to clear the tracks before stopping.

Or they may have gotten into the habit of thinking that the the light on Whipple for El Camino will turn green and the crossing will be cleared whenever a train approaches.


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