Although previous reports said four people died in the Amtrak train accident with the big rig truck in Nevada, that number has been revised to six deaths, including the truck driver and the train conductor. The number of missing people, however, has been reduced from 28 to five.
The Amtrak train crash, which happened 70 miles east of Reno, Nevada, appears to have been caused by the either the truck driver or problems with the truck. The trucking company, John Davis Trucking Company Incorporated, based in Battle Mountain, Nevada, has been cited 17 times for having faulty equipment and has had two other crashes since 2009. Those cases involved a truck operating with bald tires and another truck with defective or missing springs.
According to the Los Angeles Times, there were three trucks in the convoy, and the one that caused the truck accident in Nevada was first in line. The other two truck drivers saw that a train was coming and stopped their trucks, but they did not know why the first truck was not stopping for the train. Skid marks at the scene showed that the truck only left skid marks for 320 feet on the U.S. 95 north, up to the collision site.
According to the National Transportation Safety Board, the warning signs are 900 feet from the rail crossing and flashing lights and gates operate 25 seconds before the train reaches a crossing. Based on estimates, if the truck was traveling at 70 miles per hour, it would have needed approximately 465 feet in order to come to a complete stop.
The injury victims of this train accident in Nevada, and the families of the wrongful death victims, should call a personal injury attorney who can help them get the justice they deserve.