Train crash

Apparently it can take almost 2 miles to bring a train to a complete stop. Extremely sad.

Reading the comments of the survivors it struck me that many commented on the seats being ‘thrown around. This must have contributed to many injuries. I wonder just how stringent the standards are for internal fittings which have the potential to cause injury in the event of a high impact crash.

It also struck me that seatbelts could have made a difference, though I doubt if anyone would use them on a train.

As others have said, my sympathies to the family of the driver and those who were seriously injured and their families

I don't know, people use seat belts on long coach trips, I think if you begin to establish something as custom and practice so to speak, it often becomes embedded in people's routines

Optional seat-belts would be a start. Not sure I'd like to see them compulsory.

Well they are compulsory in cars and planes why not in trains it would save people being thrown around and injured

So sorry to hear about this. Thinking of all those affected, so sad to hear that the driver has been killed. We have train drivers in the family, that brings home the reality of this tragedy.

I agree that optional seat belts would be a start towards improved safety in the carriages.

So very sad to hear of the death of the driver and injuries to passengers.
I have often wondered why we don't have seat belts in trains. I can't think of any other transport methods that don't require them. Even if they only prevented a few injuries it would be worth it.

I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing a seatbelt on a train. Train accidents are few and far between, unfortunately assaults are not so infrequent.

To be honest I really hate the news reports where they interview people who saw the incident. They encourage them to give lurid descriptions of people being injured and we don't need that. We know what happens when things collide, people get crushed and thrown around. We don't need to know exactly what they were like and how they looked. 😢

OldFrill

I wouldn't feel comfortable wearing a seatbelt on a train. Train accidents are few and far between, unfortunately assaults are not so infrequent.

But sadly, train accidents do happen and seat belts might prevent some injuries and deaths.

I have never heard that assaults on trains were so very prevalent. I don't think they occur often enough to be cited as an argument against seat belts.

Dylis

So very sad to hear of the death of the driver and injuries to passengers.
I have often wondered why we don't have seat belts in trains. I can't think of any other transport methods that don't require them. Even if they only prevented a few injuries it would be worth it.

Regarding other transport methods.
Service buses generally do not have seat belts. Our local bus service does have them, but it is not compulsory to use them.... and no one does.

Trains are now a really safe way to travel.Something went wrong in this case and there’ll be an investigation obvs.

Chestnut

To be honest I really hate the news reports where they interview people who saw the incident. They encourage them to give lurid descriptions of people being injured and we don't need that. We know what happens when things collide, people get crushed and thrown around. We don't need to know exactly what they were like and how they looked. 😢

interviewing people who have been through trauma and are in shock isn't ethical reporting, is it?

JaneJudge

Chestnut

To be honest I really hate the news reports where they interview people who saw the incident. They encourage them to give lurid descriptions of people being injured and we don't need that. We know what happens when things collide, people get crushed and thrown around. We don't need to know exactly what they were like and how they looked. 😢

interviewing people who have been through trauma and are in shock isn't ethical reporting, is it?

They're not obliged to give interviews.

MaizieD

JaneJudge

Chestnut

To be honest I really hate the news reports where they interview people who saw the incident. They encourage them to give lurid descriptions of people being injured and we don't need that. We know what happens when things collide, people get crushed and thrown around. We don't need to know exactly what they were like and how they looked. 😢

interviewing people who have been through trauma and are in shock isn't ethical reporting, is it?

They're not obliged to give interviews.

The could either be in shock themselves and just answering automatically or someone who wants to be on TV. Either way, I don't want to hear these details when watching the news report. They do this with any big incident where people are injured.

One of the first medical responders has posted on our local Facebook today (anonymously) saying that the vast majority of passengers stayed onboard the train to help others seriously injured whilst medical professionals dealt with those with life threatening injuries first. It was a very moving post

They said those that filmed people in pain etc and gave interviews after were in a very small minority

MaizieD I don’t think it’s ethical to ask people for statements whilst they are in shock. The media aren’t the police, questioning people who have committed a crime and needing evidence

M0nica

I feel beset. Yesterday's accident was just to the east of where we live and we are going to be driving close to the site of the incident today

Two days ago the tragic incident when a small boy was thrown into a crocodile pit was the same distance to the north of us.

My thoughts go out to all those involved.

Don’t you mean to the West ?

If it was to the East of you, that puts you near Woburn, which is certainly not due south of the crocodile -pit incident., - if as you say that was to the North of you.

Monica is suggesting Bedford is to the east of her not that she is to the east of Bedford

Exactly

I know what I mean and I know where Bedford, Elstow (the site of the crash ) and Huntingdon - the zoo- are.

Does it matter though? it’s nothing to do with the accident, it’s immaterial whether anyone lives near it or not and only of interest to the person themself
It’s a tragedy all round and terrible for the train drivers family

Apparently nine people remain in hospital in a critical condition. I do hope they pull through.

Its just been announced on BBC Look East and latest Bedford News( where i live).
Latest investigation is
That the driver who hit the standing train went through a Red Light.

Sorry i put latest investigation.
News said they have found out by investigation he went through a red light signal.😢

Northernsoulnanna

Its just been announced on BBC Look East and latest Bedford News( where i live).
Latest investigation is
That the driver who hit the standing train went through a Red Light.

Difficult to know why. If he was taken ill there is something called “the deadman’s handle” which would have automatically stopped the train once his hand slipped off it as he collapsed. In the old days and on heritage railways there is something called a tablet. Each section of line has one tablet and one tablet only. A driver cannot enter that section without the tablet so it is not possible for 2 trains to be on the same section of track. Modern signalling has to accommodate this so it either had to be a signal failure or a train going through a red light.