New Haven Motor Vehicle Accidents Law Blog

When Connecticut parents put their children on school buses, they reasonably expect bus drivers and other travelers to act with caution and safety so their children arrive to their destinations unscathed. Most parents definitely would not expect their children to suffer injury in a train accident on their way to or from school. Sadly, just such an accident recently occurred in another state, which resulted in a student fatality and serious injury to another child.

An Amtrak train collided with a school bus on the tracks. A local police chief who commented on the incident said this particular section of tracks in not secured. There are no traffic signals or crossing arms at the track intersection where the crash occurred. A prayer vigil was organized, following the tragic accident, as families mourned the loss of a child and prayed for the survival of another whose condition was listed as critical.

When a Connecticut teen is preparing to obtain his or her driver's license, there is a lot to learn. Though practice and a good education program can prepare a teen driver to pass the road test, statistics show that newly-licensed drivers are at higher risk to be involved in a crash. Even seasoned drivers must use extra caution when traveling alongside a motorcycle on the road, and recently a teen driver was charged with regard to a fatal motorcycle accident. 

Last fall, an 18-year-old boy turned left, crossing a lane of oncoming traffic. He struck a 26-year-old Connecticut man on a motorcycle. The rider suffered injuries so severe that he lost his life as a result. 

Pedestrians in Connecticut and other states will always be vulnerable because they have no protection against the impact of vehicles. Advanced technology adds additional safety measures to each new model that comes onto the market, and while drivers are now safer inside their cars than ever before, pedestrian accident injuries remain a significant concern. Vehicle operators can take a few simple steps to prevent pedestrian accidents.

Although safety is a responsibility that is shared by all road users, vehicle operators must look out for pedestrians, especially in adverse weather conditions or after dark. Drivers must slow down and prepare to stop, if necessary, as they enter intersections or when they prepare to make a turn. Drivers must stop and yield for pedestrians in crosswalks, and give them enough time to complete the crossing before they proceed on their trips.

During the winter months especially, Connecticut rail lines turn the countryside into a picturesque scene that resembles a vintage greeting card. With three operating passenger lines, a train chugging past a snowy hillside, or through a small town may look like a nostalgic nod to an era long past, but many residents still rely on trains for transportation. Modern passenger trains are a highly efficient way to travel, and with the cost of owning a personal vehicle continuing to rise, trains are making a comeback. Unfortunately, there is still a risk of a rider being involved in a train accident. 

Train accidents and derailments still occur, even in modern times. And when they do, they're often catastrophic. The federal government has imposed new regulations regarding all passenger trains across the nation. Beginning in Jan. 2019, all passenger train lines in the United States must be equipped with new technology known as positive train control.