UPS Truck-Train Accident

http://www.virginiamn.com/mdn/?sect_...tory_id=211921

[rod]

RIP ups driver. My heart goes out to the family

[pkg-king]

RIP UPS bro. The weird thing is, I remember looking at my watch yesterday at 12:30 and remember exactly where I was, all the while not knowing my fellow driver was going through this.

[smf0605]

What a tragedy for his family.

[BLACKBOX]

I'm telling you everyone should follow what school bus drivers do when they get to a railroad crossing.....pause and make sure tracks are clear.

[RockyRogue]

Originally Posted by BLACKBOX

I'm telling you everyone should follow what school bus drivers do when they get to a railroad crossing.....pause and make sure tracks are clear.

I agree. When I was driving, I liked having the windows down. I never cruised over train tracks without at least slowing and looking both ways. Anyone in western DuPage County, Illinois probably knows how many of those crossings have blind curves. It didn't hurt that the train station in town had several small, framed photos of accidents in progress from over the years. One that really sticks out in my mind was a Ford Econoline Cargo Van being slammed into by a Union Pacific (I think) engine and being thrown all over the place. The driver of the van survived.... -Rocky

[local804]

From what I understand, there were no railroad crossings in this area. Maybe the got to hurry up and get done mentality may have cost him his life. Life is too important and NO ONE should have to lose his life during work. It happens way too much! My heartful prayers go out to this drivers family and friends around him. this is only a job.
remember
We work to live NOT live to work!

[blacknproud]

RIP Brother.
My heart goes out to his family.


We all kow that UPS will blame him....if anyone knows this guys wife or family get a lawyer ASAP. UPS will cover their butts and blame this on the driver....no doubt in my mind.

[CarolinaP1000]

RIP and my thoughts and prayers go out to his family.

Just curious.....from the picture it shows the package car with the old paint job. I thought that all cars were to have the new paint and logos by last June?

Anyways, let's all be careful out there.....it only takes a second....

[paidslave]

Originally Posted by blacknproud

RIP Brother.
My heart goes out to his family.


We all kow that UPS will blame him....if anyone knows this guys wife or family get a lawyer ASAP. UPS will cover their butts and blame this on the driver....no doubt in my mind.

NO way! But at the same time if this was your truck that you lent to your friend and this happened and they blamed you for it..This may be a bad example but I think the management team freaks out a bit and wants to put the blame back on the person involved!

Very difficult to do though considering we are under the scope of the employment and bottom line is they will wind up paying for it!

They should because this driver died for this company and made money off of him! If they do blame the driver this will be very discraceful to the family!

May God give rest to his soul and my prayers to the family!

[Fnix]

Oh they'll think of a reason, like not honking the horn so the train can hear him.

[MrFedEx]

I know I don't work for UPS, but seeing something like this truly saddens me, and I'm very sorry for the driver and his family.I spent a year as a brakeman/conductor for the BNSF, so I'm fairly familiar with this type of incident. The link mentions the lack of automatic grade crossing arms at the site of the accident which may have helped prevent it. This indicates a grade crossing equpped only with warning signs(crossbucks).Unfortunately,unless the engineer failed to sound his horn at the grade crossing and/or his locomotive headlight or flashing strobes were inoperative, the accident would be charged to the UPS driver. Any witnesses who could testify that the horn didn't sound or that the safety warning equipment on the engine wasn't working would be very helpful. Nowadays, most locomotives are equipped with on-board cameras and event recorders(like an airplane)that document everything in such an accident. We've had similar incidents where a driver didn't want to have service failures....it's not worth it.

[DS]

This should not happen to a ups driver.This guy probobly drove over those tracks 1000 times .All I can think is he either was talking on his cell phone,had his music cranked up,or was texting the center while driving.God man,its a train!I live 100 yards from a main line and I hear it from here.There may have been a mechanical problem with his truck,or some other extenuating circumstances,but this tragedy seems like the ultimate preventable accident.What happened to left right left? please dont think I'm cold,I feel bad for everyone involved,but to me,getting hit by a train,would be avoidable.Following the methods,it cant happen.

[rocket man]

Rip Rip

[RockyRogue]

Originally Posted by MrFedEx

The link mentions the lack of automatic grade crossing arms at the site of the accident which may have helped prevent it. This indicates a grade crossing equpped only with warning signs(crossbucks).

Yeah, I saw that, too. I went to college in an Illinois farm-town. There were a couple of these crossings in or near town. I can't remember the last time I saw one of them in a metro--suburban or urban--area. I was in Albuquerque, New Mexico in August for a long weekend. If you've never been to Albuquerque, the population falls off in a hurry after you leave Downtown Albuquerque on the commuter rail system. There were several of these crossings. They've had accidents there (some very tragic) because drivers weren't paying 100% attention. -Rocky

Originally Posted by DS

This should not happen to a ups driver.

LOL. Then you go on to explain how it would happen.

Anyway, YOU are paid TOO much to take such a cavalier attitude with your employers' property.

WAY too much.

And the train can't leave the tracks to any extent. YOU have to cross its path.

[barnyard]

My heart aches for the family.

TB

[ImpactedTSG]

Originally Posted by blacknproud

We all kow that UPS will blame him....if anyone knows this guys wife or family get a lawyer ASAP. UPS will cover their butts and blame this on the driver....no doubt in my mind.

Who would you blame? You are exactly what is wrong with America. Everyone wants to blame someone when something bad happens. Get a lawyer and sue someone. How about if the train company sues UPS for the damage to the train because one of their employees didn't look both ways when crossing the tracks? Sounds pretty stupid right? So does suing for someone not looking where they were going. Don't get me wrong, it is a tragic accident and I feel bad for anyone affected by it especially his family.

[brownmonster]

It's called an accident. The powers that be at Brown always need to find blame.