Two avoid serious injury when train hits pickup
Published at
ABERDEEN — A driver and a passenger are safe after a collision between a train and a pickup truck.
Bingham County Sheriff’s deputies were called to 1100 South 2200 West on Monday, just outside of Aberdeen, where a vehicle hadn’t gotten off the tracks in time to avoid an oncoming train.
According to Cpl. Van Orden of the sheriff’s office, because the train was moving slowly enough, when it hit the front of the vehicle, the passengers didn’t receive any major injuries.
Both the female driver and male passenger were cleared to leave the scene by ambulance services. The male received a minor cut on his head.
The railroad crossing where the vehicle was hit was uncontrolled, and Van Orden said the driver didn’t see the train until it had already slowed down and was crossing the tracks. Upon seeing the train, the driver attempted to reverse off the tracks but couldn’t get off in time.
The train also hit the vehicle at a sweeping angle, pushing it out of the way.
While the train car only received a bent handrail in the collision, Van Orden said that the truck, a mid-’90s Dodge pickup, received “significant damage.”
Van Orden said the people who were in the pickup are local to the area. Their names are not being released.
While this situation ended with no major injuries, crashes with trains could result in serious injury or death. Van Orden said drivers should always slow down and pay attention to the surrounding area when crossing train tracks.
“Any time they’re crossing railroad tracks, even if they’re out in rural county roads that aren’t normally traveled, you should be slowing down, paying attention both ways and then listening for their horn to prevent that kind of a crash,” Van Orden said.
EastIdahoNews.com comment boards are a place for open, honest, and civil communication between readers regarding the news of the day and issues facing our communities. We encourage commenters to stay on topic, use positive and constructive language, and be empathetic to the feelings of other commenters. THINK BEFORE YOU POST. Click here for more details on our commenting rules.