Brightline Accident Kills Two in Delray Beach
The checkered history of the Brightline high speed rail line added yet another tragic chapter to its long string of deaths recently when two people in Delray Beach were killed when their car was struck by a train. A report from CBS Miami on the incident reported that the car was on the tracks when the train collided with it. It is unclear whether the motorists were attempting to beat the train or the car suffered some sort of issue that caused it to stall out just as it was crossing the train tracks. The National Traffic Safety Board has initiated an investigation of this latest incident, although the company has yet to be found at fault for any of the more than 80 fatalities that have occurred in South Florida in less than five years Brightline has been operating.
Train Accidents in South Florida and Brightline’s Spotty Safety Record
South Florida has had far more than its fair share of fatalities since the Brightline high speed rail service began in July 2017. Since that time, there have been 88 fatalities. That equates to one death per every 32,000 miles a Brightline train travels, which is the highest fatality rate among the more than 800 railroads in the United States. Indeed, Brightline’s fatality rate is nearly three times that of any other railroad, a testament to the dangers of having high speed trains moving through a crowded urban area like South Florida. Although the railroad has not been determined to be at fault in connection with any of these incidents, most of which were suicides, this is still an extremely sobering number of unnecessary deaths.
The Catastrophic Nature of South Florida Railroad Accidents
Railroad accidents often involve serious injuries or fatalities. Trains are extremely large and heavy, travel at high speeds and therefore can cause catastrophic injuries or fatalities in a crash. The Brightline trains that have killed so many since the high speed rail line began service in South Florida in July 2017 can reach speeds of up to 79 mph south of West Palm Beach and up to 110 mph north of Palm Beach County. Thus, it is unlikely anyone involved in a collision with a Brightline train will survive the crash.
Contact Schwed, Adams and McGinley, P.A.
At Schwed, Adams and McGinley, P.A., our experienced personal injury attorneys have more than 200 years of combined experience representing individuals who have been injured in railroad accidents that resulted in a wrongful death or catastrophic injuries. Trains travel at high speeds and are therefore extremely difficult to stop quickly, particularly if railroad employees are not paying attention as closely as they should. When an accident involving a train occurs, as seems to happen too frequently in South Florida, it often results in serious injuries or death for those involved. If you or a loved one have been injured in a train accident, contact the experienced personal injury attorneys at Schwed, Adams and McGinley, P.A. today at 877-694-6079 or contact@schwedlawfirm.com to schedule a free consultation regarding your situation.