One Person Hurt After LIRR Train Collides with Car

A Long Island Rail Road (LIRR) train was recently involved in an accident in Patchogue when it struck a car. It was the second LIRR accident in the span of just two days, and has brought even more attention to the recent calls for new amendments to federal legislation that would greatly improve the safety of railroads.

The accident occurred around 12:09 p.m. near the railroad crossing at Rider Avenue on Tuesday, March 3. Officials investigating the accident say the railroad gates were down at the time, but that the driver of the gray Ford Focus that was struck drove around the gate. It ended up being hit on the driver’s side of the car, and the vehicle slammed into a nearby building. The 67-year-old driver, Gary Calderone, had to be removed by having the door cut off of his car. He suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Fortunately, none of the passengers on the train were injured. Considering the type of accident, Calderone is lucky that there were not more serious results. For witnesses, it was a frightening reminder of serious safety issues with trains in the state recently, especially in the wake of the deadly Metro North crash that occurred several weeks earlier when a train struck an SUV stuck on the tracks.

It appears that advocates will continue to push for more legislation to increase the safety of train track crossing areas throughout the state. In the meantime, if you or a loved one have been injured in a railroad accident, speak with a dedicated New York personal injury attorney at [ln::firm_name].