http://www.insiderexclusive.com/show-content/314-train-accidents--the-rachel-duncan-story.html

In the last 10 years, there have been more than 30,000 railroad crossing collisions resulting in more than 3600 deaths. And in almost every single case, the Railroad Companies fight "tooth and nail" to "blame" the victim for causing the accidents....which in many cases is actually the Railroad companies fault.

Last year Louisiana ranked "4th" nationally in vehicle and train fatalities and "1st" in the "Most Accidents per Public Grade Crossings" Train accidents and, specifically..... railroad crossing accidents.... can have devastating effects on motor vehicles. When a train hits another vehicle -- a car, truck or SUV -- the results are catastrophic. Often, these accidents and deaths could have been prevented.Figures from the National Transportation Safety Board state that approximately 60 percent of all railroad crossing fatalities occur at "unprotected" or passive crossings.

Passive crossings are those crossings with only a railroad crossing sign. The statistics also state that "Protected Crossings"..... those crossings with warning devices such as lights and gates,,,,, represent only 20 percent of the public railroad crossings in the United States. The National Transportation Safety Board publishes Some national statistics you should know........      

333 million -- Number of vehicles that cross railroad tracks every day 50% -- Percentage of vehicle/train collisions that occur at crossings with active warning devices (lights, gates, bells) 40x -- Times you are more likely to die in a crash with a train than you are to die in an automobile crash 2  Hrs-- Average time, in hours, between each incident where a vehicle or pedestrian is struck by a train.

The National Transportation Safety Board also lists The 10 most dangerous states for railroad crossing fatalities in 2010

- 26 Illinois railroad crossing accident fatalities in 2010
- 25 Florida railroad crossing deaths
- 24 California railroad crossing fatalities
- 19 Indiana railroad crossing deaths
- 17 Texas railroad crossing deaths
- 15 Louisiana railroad crossing deaths
- 13 Mississippi railroad crossing deaths
- 12 Ohio railroad crossing deaths
- 10 Alabama railroad crossing deaths
- 10 Missouri railroad crossing deaths

In this Insider Exclusive Special, "TRAIN ACCIDENTS - The Rachel Duncan Story", Rachel's lawyer, Michael Cox ,partner at the law firm of Cox Cox Filo, Camel & Wilson successfully got justice for Rachel. By proving that the tracks on which the Train  that rendered her a quadriplegic and killed her sister was obstructed by overgrown vegetation. Most importantly that the railroad company was and  is responsible for assuring that train crossing warning systems are active and in working order. Too often, railroad companies allow weeds, grass, trees and other vegetation to overgrow near railroad crossings. This overgrown foliage prevents motorists from seeing an oncoming train and causes these deadly catastrophic accidents.

We hope you'll tune in to ""TRAIN ACCIDENTS - The Rachel  Duncan Story"   this January  and join us on our TV website to watch it again.