In January 2013, a Douglas County Georgia woman was crossing the train tracks at Highway 92 and Mozley Road in Douglasville. Her car became stuck on the tracks, and the oncoming train slammed into it, pushing it 100 feet down the tracks before coming to a stop.
Fortunately she was able to escape her vehicle before the collision, but the accident has called attention to what neighbors call a dangerous railroad crossing. According to a January 8, 2013 cbsatlanta.com report on the terrifying accident, this is just one example of the poor design of the crossing.
Witnesses to the accident, Beverly Woods and her husband Robert Woods, say cars get stuck on this particular crossing more often than they should. Robert Woods said, “She made a turn here and she went too far over. She’s an elderly lady and didn’t judge her distance right. But that’s what happened, she ran too far over here and she got stuck.”
The Woods said that this is not a one-time occurrence and that they have seen truckers and other vehicles get stuck the very same way as this one. Robert Woods himself has “helped four or five who got stuck on the track.”
The report says that Norfolk Southern, the railroad company responsible for this crossing, had repaved it, but “left a considerable drop-off instead of a tapering slope.” In addition, Georgia Department of Transportation painted new striping on the road. But apparently these efforts have not been enough.
This crossing in Douglasville is said to be the most dangerous in the area. Over the past year, there have been several train/vehicle collisions, and 22 vehicles have gotten stuck.
Beverly Woods summed up the feelings of many when she said that she would rather see the crossing closed until it can be made safer. “I think they should close it up because if I was to see somebody get killed I would die myself.”
At the Law Office of Scott Miller, we are glad to hear that no one was hurt in the recent train-car collision but hope for more safety measures in the future for this dangerous crossing.
