A Norfolk Southern train in Roanoke County VA slammed into a tractor trailer at a railroad crossing without cross bucks, lights or a gate, leaving the two truck’s occupants with serious injuries.

One of the men suffered serious burns and has been transferred to a burn center at Wake Forest in North Carolina.

The two men are employees of Appalachian Power and they were driving to a substation in a company tractor trailer. It is not clear why the truck pulled in front of the train, but the railroad crossing had only stop signs.

Our railroad crossing accident lawyers at our Virginia office have seen all too many railroad crossing accidents in recent years in this state. Many people who suffer railroad crossing accidents may assume right away that the mishap was their fault. They should know that there are many federal and state regulations that affect both the train and the railroad crossing itself, and if they are not followed by the stakeholders, deadly accidents can happen.

There are maximum speeds that trains may travel at through a railroad crossing, and they also must blast a horn and whistle at public railroad crossings.

Even at a private railroad crossing, shrubs and vegetation must be maintained so drivers have good sight lines to see approaching trains.

One publication where these guidelines are laid out is the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices. Certain sight lines should be available to all drivers when they approach a railroad crossing.

If you are involved in a serious accident at a railroad crossing, be aware that these accidents are complex and fault can often only be definitively established by experienced railroad accident attorneys.

Many railroad crossing accidents are in the end caused by a lack of visibility and clear sight lines at the crossing, and the plaintiff may be entitled to compensation for his or her injuries.