Brake Failure on Norway Train Kills 3
Three people were killed and four more were injured when an empty freight train traveling through Olso, Norway plummeted out of control and collided into an open-sided checking station. Traveling at more than 62 miles per hour, the railroad recklessly sped downhill for nearly 5 miles before the accident. Although investigators are still looking into the exact causes of this train accident, presently, a faulty breaking system is known to have contributed to the crash.
Suspected Brake Malfunction
According to experts, the train's breaking system functioned off of compressed air and was designed to automatically come to a stop in the event of an impending accident. Despite the fact that the breaking system was active and functioning when the empty cars were linked earlier that day, the system clearly was not working by the time the railroad was approaching Olso, according to Kurt Olsen, president of the train department at the Norwegian Accident Investigation Board.
While equipment failure clearly played a role in causing this fatal railroad accident, it is not certain yet whether human error was also a factor. In the U.S., human error plays a role in causing more than 34 percent of all train accidents. Equipment defects cause nearly 14 percent of railroad crashes, and track and signal problems cause more than 37 percent.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a train accident, you will likely have a legal claim against any negligent party. Learn more about your legal rights and entitlements by consulting with an experienced railroad accident attorney.
