Safety of railway crossings questioned after second vehicle hit by train in a week

By The Nation

 

 

Less than a week after a bus was hit by a train in Chachoengsao province, a car and a train collided in Phetchaburi on Thursday night killing one and injuring two others.

 

Officers from Khao Yoi Police Station collected the body of a 21-year-old woman who was driving the car, and took the two male passengers who were seriously injured to hospital.

 

Initial investigation showed that the victims worked at a factory in Samut Songkhram province and had gone to Khao Yoi district for a meal.

 

They were heading home when they got hit by a train while crossing a railway track.

 

Five days ago, a train hit a bus killing 18 people, which sparked criticism over the safety of Thailand’s railway system.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30396311

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-10-16

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

I don't think it's so much the safety of the crossings per se, this happened during the hours of darkness, did the car driver not see the lights on the train ?

 

Admittedly the crossings here leave a lot to be desired, but if she couldn't see the headlights on the train she shouldn't have been driving.

You would think after the other well publicised accident with the

bus and so many dead,that drivers to use more caution while

crossing railway lines,but in this case does not seem to be so,

another case of "I think I can make it "

regards worgeordie

34 minutes ago, webfact said:

Safety of railway crossings questioned 

Noooo, you don't say? 

Perhaps they should look at the stupidity of the car drivers...

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Safety of railway crossings questioned

Really? This needs to be "questioned"? 

How long until they set up a committee to question this sad state of affairs? 

It's not unsafe railway crossings that are the problem.

The problem are unsafe drivers.

Seems like we're all in agreement then, the problem is the drivers & not the crossings,  now, what to do about them ?

relax, the minister of transport is all over this. it'll be sorted in no time.

I'm lost for words, when driving a car you give way to the bigger vehicle is much the norm, why on earth cannot someone see a train coming or some railway lines. 

58 minutes ago, djayz said:

How long until they set up a committee to question this sad state of affairs? 

 

RIP to all the dead from such accidents.

But you forget that they have to set up a committee to select the committee that will appoint the committee to nominate a Chairman to ......................................

 

 

PS;  You must also investigate potential members who have shares in Rail Companies, signalling equipment, local hospitals/mortuaries/car repairs etc, 

Edited October 16, 20205 yr by fangless

2 hours ago, worgeordie said:

You would think after the other well publicised accident with the

bus and so many dead,that drivers to use more caution while

crossing railway lines,but in this case does not seem to be so,

another case of "I think I can make it "

regards worgeordie

They have their magic amulet to protect them they will never learn. Every day the news shows motorcycle wrecks with deaths but the people still ride the wrong way on the roads don't wear helmets and other stupid things 

1 hour ago, Golden Triangle said:

Seems like we're all in agreement then, the problem is the drivers & not the crossings,  now, what to do about them ?

Natural selection is slowly weeding them out it's just to slow 

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Five days ago, a train hit a bus killing 18 people, which sparked criticism over the safety of Thailand’s railway system.

 

Naturally! It has absolutely nothing to do with that 99% of the drivers in Thailand lack the common sense gene.

Combine something which is potentially dangerous with someone who is intelligent and alert and nothing will happen.

Combine something which is potentially dangerous with a halfwit and the worst will happen. 

 

We see this so often on the roads, life in general etc... the issue in Thailand is that people really seem not to value their own safety. It's annoying that they seem not to value the safety of others either. 

 

 

 

 

And then some people wonder why ambulances fail to get priority on the roads...

1 hour ago, Mike k said:

Natural selection is slowly weeding them out it's just to slow 

That may be so but the poor innocent passengers and possibly innocent train drivers are also being killed by these inept vehicle drivers.

Why should they and their families suffer?

How hard is to make barrier i crossing when train comes!? Here they just dont want put any money in traffic safety!

All idiot u turns and so one! Only in big citys interchance coz dont have space to make different way! In my coundry u turn is almost always denied!

12 minutes ago, 2 is 1 said:

How hard is to make barrier i crossing when train comes!? Here they just dont want put any money in traffic safety!

!

Every Country in the World has open unbarried train track road crossings , usually in the countryside 

Time to start reviewing the safety of thai drivers !!!

4 hours ago, richard_smith237 said:

Combine something which is potentially dangerous with someone who is intelligent and alert and nothing will happen.

Combine something which is potentially dangerous with a halfwit and the worst will happen. 

 

We see this so often on the roads, life in general etc... the issue in Thailand is that people really seem not to value their own safety. It's annoying that they seem not to value the safety of others either. 

 

 

 

 

I had a good friend from Sweden who got killed in Hua-hin crossing the tracks several years ago.

He was a great guy,rode Harleys all over the world and ran a good business in Sweden.

He had just left my place and was due back to Sweden the next day,

He was totally sober and happy to go home to see his kids again.

He did not hear the train and certainly did not see it coming,he was killed on impact.

To this day i have no idea why he had this accident,everytime i cross the tracks there i am reminded.

Accidents do happen.

3 hours ago, 2 is 1 said:

How hard is to make barrier i crossing when train comes!? Here they just dont want put any money in traffic safety!

All idiot u turns and so one! Only in big citys interchance coz dont have space to make different way! In my coundry u turn is almost always denied!

Agreed about u-turns, they are extremely dangerous. But ungated level crossings? How difficult is it to stop one's car and look both ways along the rail tracks before proceeding.

8 minutes ago, chickenslegs said:

Agreed about u-turns, they are extremely dangerous. But ungated level crossings? How difficult is it to stop one's car and look both ways along the rail tracks before proceeding.

No need to stop and look, I've never seen a train there whenever I drive across the railway line.... 

13 minutes ago, Artisi said:

No need to stop and look, I've never seen a train there whenever I drive across the railway line.... 

and when you approach the gates ( the pearly gates) you will stand there saying you didn't hear it coming either... 

 

15 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

I don't think it's so much the safety of the crossings per se, this happened during the hours of darkness, did the car driver not see the lights on the train ?

 

Admittedly the crossings here leave a lot to be desired, but if she couldn't see the headlights on the train she shouldn't have been driving.

Bit hard to see lights on train if you talking on phone or texting, police probably never thought to look at phone, too busy working out the kickback from accident!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

14 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

Seems like we're all in agreement then, the problem is the drivers & not the crossings,  now, what to do about them ?

Free  supply them with square  wheels

14 hours ago, Kwasaki said:

I'm lost for words, when driving a car you give way to the bigger vehicle is much the norm, why on earth cannot someone see a train coming or some railway lines. 

The answer lies in the video of the bus accident. The bus driver had the train on his left. The driver sits on the right. Also the bus was full so there may have been people etc obstructing the drivers (poor) field of view to his left.
 

I haven’t seen a video of the second accident but I bet it was a similar scenario. Driver on the right, train on the left.

 

We have the same Thing in aviation. The pilot sits on the left. Guess which side always collides with instructions when taxying...yep it’s the right wing.

 

But then... TiT! 

Edited October 17, 20205 yr by Gerefan

If a driver can't see a train with bright headlights. it's no surprise that they can't see other vehicles on the road. Or is it as simple as "I didn't bother looking"  !!!!

18 hours ago, Golden Triangle said:

I don't think it's so much the safety of the crossings per se, this happened during the hours of darkness, did the car driver not see the lights on the train ?

 

Admittedly the crossings here leave a lot to be desired, but if she couldn't see the headlights on the train she shouldn't have been driving.

To see something, first you must “LOOK”. 

Thais are slow learners particularly where Health & Safety rules are concerned.  The 42 seater bus mentioned above had 80 passengers aboard!  No wonder its undercarriage got stuck on the crossing.  Will anyone be prosecuted for selling 40 surplus tickets?