Amtrak Employee Killed on Tracks Near Bowie, Maryland
The family of a worker may file a train accident lawsuit after an Amtrak train traveling the Northeast Corridor rail from Richmond, Virginia to South Station, Boston struck and killed an engineering worker just north of Bowie State University MARC station. The incident occurred April 24, 2018, near the west end of campus. The 251 passengers aboard the train were transferred to a different train about 90 minutes after the incident to finish their commute. No passengers or crew were injured.
Pedestrian Fatalities Caused by Trains More Common Than You Might Think
According to the Baltimore Sun, fatal train strikes occur far too frequently between Washington and Baltimore. In fact, a CSX conductor and trainee were struck and killed by an Amtrak train in June. The two workers were killed while checking a problem with their train.
In April 2017, a man was killed while trespassing on the tracks. He was hit by an Acela Express running between Washington and Boston carrying 170 passengers. And in 2016, a man was struck and killed on the tracks near Laurel. It is unknown why the man was on the tracks
A teenager from Bowie was struck and killed by a CSX train while walking down the center of the tracks in 2013. Though the engineer said he sounded the horn to warn her repeatedly, it is believed she was wearing headphones and didn’t hear the warning.
In 2012, two women were struck and killed when a CSX train derailed near Ellicott City. The train was carrying coal when it left the tracks. The year prior, an Odenton man was struck and killed by an Amtrak train near Old Railroad Ave. in Hanover.
Trains Striking Pedestrians – A National Issue
But pedestrian fatalities are a concern on all rail lines, not just the Northeast Corridor service. In fact, according to the Federal Railroad Administration, 1,080 pedestrians were injured or killed in 2016 on railroad tracks. In 2017 alone, 123 pedestrians were killed on California tracks and 91 more were injured. A reported 41 pedestrians died on rail tracks in Texas, and 43 were killed in Florida that same year. Statistics show that hundreds of pedestrians die every year on train tracks, a clear indication that far more needs to be done to improve the safety of rail lines across the country.
If you were seriously injured or your loved one killed in a train accident, contact one of our train accident lawyers today to learn more about your rights and whether you are entitled to compensation for your injuries and losses.
