In Murray, Wednesday, Jan 9th, a man was injured attempting to bypass railroad crossing arms. The 83-year-old was transported to an area hospital, and his injuries were not life-threatening. Neither was anyone on the train injured.
UTA spokesman Gerry Carpenter said that UTA will be re-evaluating its safety measurements in the area. Not far from this recent crash site, last August, Lorna Boguslawski, a 72-year-old woman from Jerome, Idaho, was killed attempting to cross the same way when she was hit by a southbound train.
Carpenter said, “People seem to be missing the traffic signals, the gate arms and the flashing lights… We’ll be taking a close look at this intersection and crossing.”
Intersection accidents occur everyday, everywhere. Even with traffic lights, stop signs and pedestrian traffic signals, intersection accidents are seemingly rampant. Some common causes for these intersection accidents are:
- Angry or reckless driving–aggressive drivers can cause accidents especially in intersections directly or indirectly; whether they directly ignore right of way patterns, or are distracting to other drivers.
- Bad weather/road conditions–ice, sleet, poorly marked crosswalks, and fog all have been linked to intersection accidents. You can protect yourself by researching weather conditions and construction in the area before you drive.
- Drivers under the influence of alcohol or narcotics–you can’t control other drivers, but you can time your driving for safety. For example, limit driving on late Friday and Saturday nights, or holidays like the 4th of July where there might be a lot of drinking.
- Distraction and fatigue–make sure you are aware of your own level of fatigue, and certainly aware of your cell phone use and attention.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding an intersection accident in Utah, call Christensen & Hymas, Utah’s best injury lawyers, (801) 506-0800.