Personal Injury Attorney Chicago Update: IL’s Dangerous Rail Crossings

Our Personal Injury Attorney Chicago Update today deals with rail road accidents in Illinois.

Rail crossings at Nagle Avenue, 119th Street top list of area’s most dangerous
Chicago Tribune – Jon Hilkevitch Getting Around

It’s no accident the railroad tracks that cross Nagle and Avondale avenues in Chicago rank among the most dangerous in northeast Illinois.

The rail crossing tops a list of hot spots in the six-county Chicago region where multiple collisions have occurred in the last five years, according to data the Illinois Commerce Commission rail safety program compiled at the Tribune’s request.

Multiple wrecks involving trains and vehicles or pedestrians have taken place at more than 50 rail crossings in the metropolitan area since 2005, the records show. They include 119th Street west of Interstate Highway 57 in Chicago, the site of five accidents, including one fatality, and Chestnut and Lehigh avenues in Glenview, where four vehicle-train crashes occurred.

Statewide, there were 78 collisions at public railroad crossings last year in Illinois. The federal government has included Illinois in a list of the 10 worst states that have experienced the most accidents involving trains, vehicles and pedestrians.

Illinois officials bristle at the characterization of Illinois being among the worst states. They say it is a result of having the second-largest number of rail crossings ( Texas is No. 1) and heavy train and vehicle traffic.

Train accidents can cause serious personal injury. If you or anyone you know is involved in an accident and needs a Chicago personal injury attorney, please contact our office for a free consultation.