Houstonist: 4 dead after SUV-train accident

UberVandal

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 18:51:39 -0600

If you read some of the links to other articles on this, the speed limit was posted as 30 Miles Per Hour. The skid marks were 25 feet long, the car went UNDER the rail car, sheared off the top, and ended up in a ditch on the other side of the rail car. To me, this sounds like the vehicle was traveling over 30 MPH. Thus, at that speed, would signals have done anything for them? This is just a bad tale of a lot of bad choices leading to a disaster. But, it is much easier to berate the big bad railroad company instead of youthful ignorance.

Alex

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 13:14:12 -0600

I really don't understand how this story indicates any irresponsibility on the part of the parents. Any parent could have a child sneak out in the middle of the night - that's really beyond their control. The driver of the car wasn't licensed and the kids shouldn't have been out so late, but it seems like the signage at that railroad crossing was deficient - that doesn't make this accident the fault of the railroad, though. These were children who behaved irresponsibly, but no one deserved this tragedy. I'm sure that everyone involved has suffered enough without placing blame among themselves. These families have lost their children and deserve sympathy.

Mary

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:01:57 -0600

How dare Union Pacific allow those kids to be out at 4:30 a.m. driving a vehicle which does not belong to any of them (however that happened) and not operating that vehicle safely (because the Department of Public Safety doesn't "really" address proper signage or how to negotiate a railroad crossing in it's tests). Loss of such young life is tragic, but, trying to pass blame where it is not due -that's just PATHETIC.

Mary

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:53:13 -0600

Absolutely agree - at 4:30 a.m., should the parents not KNOW where their children are? It is the responsibility of the driver to operate the vehicle safely - aren't railroad crossings and signage part of a, um, you know - driving test? Just saying.

Claire

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:41:58 -0600

I agree with the other comments - why has the news not focused on the fact that these kids stole the car and the fact that the kids are way too young to be out so late? The father berating Union Pacific should berate himself for allowing his daughter to sneak out and participate in stealing a car. Bottom line is: you can hear AND see a train coming. I have little sympathy for these families.

mike

Fri, 15 Jun 2007 09:23:28 -0600

I agree, as unfortunate as this incident is, the victim/criminal's families are looking for an easy scapegoat to shift the blame from their own teenage children who STOLE a vehicle (or accepted a stolen vehicle-- surprisingly NO details of this fact is given in the media, also showing how the media can really skew what is presented to us). I feel bad for the families, but this is not the right reaction to the situation. Another teenage joyride gone wrong. Blame the teen, look at yourself in the mirror and take responsibility for it, don't blame someone else.

UberVandal

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 23:57:13 -0600

Why didn't the parents berate the driver, or more importantly, themselves for this sort of thing to happen? Is it not the responsibility of the driver to watch for stationary objects or other sorts of things that might happen to be in ones way? Also, if you look closely at the picture, there IS reflective tape on the crossing, and many newer rail cars have reflective tape striping on them to help avoid situations like this. Had this vehicle struck a stalled semi truck or a large animal like a deer, another vehicle, or a utility pole been OK then?

Bob

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 20:15:59 -0600

The train was stationary- blocking the path. They drove into the train. How is that the fault of the railroad? The kids snuck out in the middle of the night, stole a car (or received stolen property), were driving recklessly, not wearing seatbelts, and hit a STATIONARY OBJECT. What's next, drunk people blaming the telephone company for telephone poles not being soft enough or marked with blinking lights?

Alex

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 18:04:48 -0600

Incidentally, it was never stated that the people in the car were the ones who stole it.

Will

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 17:28:48 -0600

A white X really isn't enough, especially not at night. Most railroad crossings have lights and gates--why not this one? It doesn't matter whether or not the car was stolen. The driver shouldn't have been driving a stolen car, but grand theft auto isn't a capital crime.

Robert Gift

Thu, 14 Jun 2007 12:27:09 -0600

Is there a round yellow (RXR) sign before the crossing? We see the white X crossbuck sign at the crossing. Nothing more is needed. Sorry the car thief and stupid passengers involved with this criminality were hurt and killed. It was THEIR fault. Still, my heart goes out to all.