
Rail Crossing Accidents Decline Nationwide, but Less So in New York Region
By EMMA G. FITZSIMMONS and RUSS BUETTNERFEB. 4, 2015
A work crew used a crane on Wednesday to load the remains of the sport utility vehicle involved in Tuesday evening’s crash with a Metro-North Railroad train in Valhalla, N.Y. Six people were killed. CreditKarsten Moran for The New York Times
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Railroad crossings, with their flashing lights and descending gates, are a fixture of suburban living. The hundreds of crossings along commuter rail lines in New York and New Jersey can be a nuisance for drivers whose journeys are being interrupted, but they are also something to be feared, crossroads that can easily turn dangerous.
Accidents at railroad crossings happen with surprising regularity in the region. Since 2003, there have been 125 grade-crossing accidents on New Jersey Transit lines, 105 on the Long Island Rail Road and 30 onMetro-North Railroad, according to the latest available Federal Railroad Administration data. More than half of those 260 accidents resulted in injuries or deaths. In all, 73 people were killed and 148 injured.