Driving a car is not the only option when it comes to transportation. These days, one can go to work and go home and go around the city by using public transportation such as buses, cabs and even light rail vehicles.
Light rail vehicles (LRVs), not to be confused with heavy rail or metro systems or even trams, are essentially an electric railway with a light volume traffic capacity which generally operate in private rights-of-way but it may also be mixed with other traffic on the streets.
LRVs are convenient for many people and among all other types of railway systems, it offers the widest range of latitude in terms of design, engineering, and operating practices. It provides a fast and efficient way to travel and when compared to automobiles, it is also much safer.
But of course, nothing is ever perfectly safe, not even LRVs. There have been incidences of light rail vehicle accidents although most involved collisions between an LRV and another automobile or pedestrian making unsafe or illegal crossing.
In Phoenix, Arizona, the high incidence of crashes was blamed on confusion. However, according to the Public Transit Department, the collisions were mostly because of the fact that most LRVs were on one-way streets and drivers do not pay too much attention.
Another LRV accident which happened in San Francisco, California were several dozens of passengers were hurt, 4 with severe injuries after two light-rail trains collided at the West Portal Station. The accident was allegedly caused by mechanical and human issues.
As a passenger, there is very little you can do in a light rail vehicle accident especially if it is due to the fault or negligence of the train operator or a mechanical defect. If you get hurt or a loved one suffers an injury because of an accident, ask the advice of a personal injury attorney or wrongful death attorney as the case may be, in order to find out if you have a valid claim for damages.
A lawyer will be able to determine whether or not it would be beneficial for you to pursue compensation from the light railway transit and if so, gather the necessary information and evidences you need to win your case.
However, as a motorist driving in streets or as a pedestrian where there are LRVs, here are some safety tips you need to be mindful of in order to avoid collisions or accidents:
- Know the locations where LRVs operate so as to be alert when one is about to cross even when there are blind spots such as buildings or trees.
- Do not turn in front of an approaching light vehicle.
- Maintain a safe distance from the LRV.
- Before turning or crossing, look for approaching LRVs before moving across the tracks.
- Follow traffic rules and signals.
