[09-08-2022] Riverside County, CA – Two Union Pacific Crew Members Killed in Fatal Train Crash in Mecca

Two UP crew members were killed in a train collision with equipment on a siding close to the unincorporated Coachella Valley community of Mecca on Thursday morning, September 8, 2022.

According to UP spokesman Mike Jaixen, the accident occurred around 3:00 a.m. close to Bombay Beach on the Salton Sea’s northern shore.

The crew’s train entered a siding and collided with machinery using the siding track. As a result, seven cars came to a stop.

The accident site is on the former Southern Pacific Sunset Route of the UP’s Yuma Division.

According to Jaixen, the National Transportation Safety Board is still investigating the accident.

Fatal Train Accident Statistics

While train accidents have become less common over time, they can still occur at any time. For instance, this year alone has seen the death of a pedestrian and the derailment of an Amtrak train in Washington state. Every year in the United States, hundreds of train accidents are reported. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) reported over 8,000 train accidents that year.

There were 2,131 collisions between cars and trains at grade crossings in 2020. In 2021, 237 people in the United States lost their lives, and another 653 were injured trying to cross the street. In these states, approximately 68% of all accidents that year occurred at grade crossings between highways and trains.

More train accidents were caused by human error than by mechanical issues with the track or equipment in 2018. People generally assume that trains operate on autopilot, so accidents involving them are usually blamed on technical or structural problems.

Risking one’s life on public transportation is unacceptable. Although low-cost modes of transport may result in lax regulation and safety precautions, this is not always the case. The operators of public transportation services need to be thoroughly trained before they are allowed to transport customers.

Riverside County Train Accident Lawyers

Most train accidents involve high-velocity collisions with other vehicles, leading to catastrophic injuries and fatalities. Victims and their families may go bankrupt due to medical bills and lost wages.

You may be eligible for compensation to cover your medical expenses, lost wages, and diminished future earning potential if you were injured due to the negligence of another party. Non-economic damages can also include compensation for pain and suffering, loss of companionship, and other intangible losses.

Our Riverside County train accident lawyers at Arash Law are here to help if you or a loved one has been injured. Coping with the mental and physiological aftermath of a severe injury is difficult.

Our primary concern is ensuring you have all the information you need to move forward confidently during this challenging time.

Please call (888) 488-1391 or complete our online intake form to arrange a free consultation. Our firm’s lawyers for train accidents have worked with insurance companies for years. Don’t worry about fighting for your compensation while you’re still recovering; instead, let us handle it for you.