Skip to main content

What train?

An inexperienced driver in Tasmania is hiding his red face after wrecking his Toyota Hilux pick-up truck in a recent accident. The inattentive driver crashed into a moving train at an unguarded crossing equipped with warning lights and bells.
February 21, 2012 Read time: 1 min
An inexperienced driver in Tasmania is hiding his red face after wrecking his Toyota Hilux pick-up truck in a recent accident. The inattentive driver crashed into a moving train at an unguarded crossing equipped with warning lights and bells. An examination of the safety equipment showed that the audible and visual warnings were functioning at the time of the accident. The locomotive driver brought the undamaged train to a halt immediately after the incident. Luckily the driver of the Toyota was unharmed, although his vehicle was wrecked beyond repair. Exactly how he managed to miss being aware of the train or the crossing warnings has yet to be explained. It is reported that his car radio was playing loudly prior to the incident but it is not clear if the volume was set so eye-poppingly high as to interfere with his vision.

Related Content

  • Road safety concepts aimed at developing nations
    October 31, 2012
    In this second of a two-part interview, Rohit Baluja introduces the work of the Delhi-based Institute of Road Traffic Education that he established in 1991 by way of practical response to the particular challenges of road safety in a developing world context Despite the alarming trends outlined in the first part of this article (World Highways: Vol.21, Issue No.6), Rohit Baluja remains optimistic that, if only the proper foundations of traffic management systems can be established, there is no reason why dr
  • Bridge inspection: destructive versus non-destructive methods
    January 6, 2015
    Tens of thousands of bridges in the United States are in desperate need of repair. But where to begin analysing their deteriorating state? Roger Roberts* investigates tips and techniques for ensuring bridge safety The average age of America’s more than 600,000 crumbling bridges is 42 years – many are 60 to 80 years old. The situation is dire, with many described as functionally obsolete, according to the American Society of Civil Engineers’ latest edition of its Report Card for America’s Infrastructure.
  • Rebuilding a historic bridge linking the US and Canada
    March 8, 2016
    While many road authorities in North America are finding it difficult to stretch their bridge assets beyond half a century, one bridge is closing in on its centenary - David Arminas reports The international Peace Bridge, connecting the Canadian province of Ontario with the US state of New York, is 88 years young this year, and still going strong.
  • PPRS Nice 2018: maintenance moves mountains
    June 22, 2018
    Strategic maintenance was a major theme at the second Pavement Preservation and Recycling Summit in Nice, France. The world is changing, mobility is changing and so roads must change and adapt for the future.” With this brief statement, Jacques Tavernier opened the second PPRS Summit. “At the same time there is a growing awareness of poor or non-existent maintenance for highways. The question for this conference is how to adapt road maintenance in the face of this challenge,” said Tavernier, in his role as