Woman Struck by Train in Leander
November 23rd, 2023
A woman was struck and killed by a train in Leander on November 18. Train accidents aren’t as common as other types of Texas vehicle accidents, but they happen more often than you might think. Keep reading to learn more about the deadly train accident and the facts around Texas train accidents from Ramos James Law, Austin accident injury lawyers.
The Deadly Texas Train Accident
A woman was found dead in Leander after being struck by a CapMetro train on Saturday, November 18. The accident happened near US Highway 183 between Farm-to-Market Road 2243 and Sonny Drive.
Police received a report of a train-pedestrian collision at around noon on Saturday. Upon arriving at the scene, officers found a woman dead. Officers believe the woman was crossing a railroad bridge on foot when she was struck by the train. There is reportedly a bus bridge for walking between the Lakeline and Leander stations.
At the time of the collision, only the engineer and conductor were on board the train.
The woman has yet to be identified, but she has been described as a white female of unknown age.
The accident led to delays for both trains and traffic on Saturday.
This collision was one of two vehicle accidents seen in Leander on Saturday. Later the same day, a motorcyclist was killed in a crash on US 183.
Train Accidents in Texas: What You Need To Know
Train accidents are one of the most uncommon types of vehicle accidents seen in Texas, accounting for less than one-tenth of one percent of all Texas crashes. Still, these accidents aren’t unheard of. In 2022, there was one train accident roughly every thirty hours in the state. More than two-thirds of those accidents occurred in urban areas compared to rural areas.
Thankfully, the majority of Texas train crashes aren’t deadly. In 2022, around 5% of train accidents in Texas resulted in a fatality. While that might seem low, that means that train accidents are far more dangerous than your average Texas car accident. In 2022, less than one percent of all vehicle accidents were fatal. This makes Texas train accidents at least five times deadlier than the average accident.
As a driver or pedestrian, there are steps that you can take to reduce your likelihood of being involved in a train crash:
Pedestrian Train Safety Rules
- Only cross the tracks at designated areas
- Look both ways when approaching a railroad crossing
- Stay as far from the rails as you can, at least four feet
- Don’t walk between the rails
- Don’t walk on the tracks in undesignated areas
- Avoid listening to loud music or being distracted while walking near tracks
Driver Train Safety Rules
- Stop, look both ways, and listen before rail crossings
- Never drive around a lowering railway gate
- Never ignore train warning signals
- Leave 15 feet between your car and the gate or stop sign at an active crossing
- Never stop on the tracks
- Wait for gates to fully rise and lights to stop before crossing after a train
- If your car stalls on the tracks, get everyone out right away and call for help
If you’ve been involved in a Texas train crash, you can reach out to an Austin accident injury lawyer for help seeking financial relief.
Source: KXAN