Why do trains hit cars?

Answer 1

Because they are on the tracks...

Answer 2

Trains DO NOT hit cars. Never have and never will. It is going to follow the rails. People put cars in its path. There has never been a train discovered lurking in the darkness, ready to hit the next hapless driver.

Want to see how stupid and foolish a person can be? I've said it before. Go to You Tube and search "Banned from TV - Train accident". If you are under 18 you will not be able to view the video. Note that the crossing gates are lowered, the lights are flashing, the bells are ringing and the engineer is blowing his whistle. Still, you'll see a real life person get real life dead by a real life train that the pedestrian totally ignored. I suppose it's necessary, though. Stupidity is natures' way of thinnin' the herd.

And it happens on an average of every 18 seconds in the US, statistically.

Stay outta the way...................

Answer 3

I was going to submit a cynical answer, but decided not to.

There are many reasons why cars get hit by trains. Mostly, people think they can beat a train around a crossing gate. Just plain stupidity.

Often, drivers don't even realize they are crossing an active railroad and they just position their vehicle on the tracks in heavy traffic. When the train comes, and they bail out, they are lucky to live. It's not quite stupidity, but more like failure to have situational awareness while driving.

And sadly, sometimes, it is suicide. A terrible tragedy for the driver, his/her family, and especially the train crew who have to deal with it for the rest of their lives - through no fault of their own. (Some rail crews never can.)

Answer 4

Cause the morons driving the cars try to "beat" the trains not realizing the high rate of speeds that trains travel. They also don't take into account the fact that it is very easy for a car to get stuck on train tracks.

Answer 5

Having actually seen this happen in person...

Some drivers are complete morons, idiots who shouldn't be allowed to drive (or have children)...

I was at the Santa Cruz boardwalk - and a train was moving along heading towards Scotts Valley. A driver had stopped at the train crossing, but waaaaay over the line (signs, lines etc all saying stay behind this line when a train is coming...)...

I got to watch the train scrape off the front bumper of the guys car... it was hysterical.

And then the guy got out of his car and started yelling at the train engineer... blaming him for the accident... the man was an idiot... certifiable.

-dh

Answer 6

Sometimes the cars hit the trains.

Answer 7

Trains only hit cars when they are on their tracks. Trains have the RIGHT OF WAY!!!

Answer 8

I used to wonder the same thing. Like how can that even happen its not like a train can sneak up on you or anything. But then one night while I was going home from work, I went over the railroad tracks on this back road with no lights or signals or anything. As soon as I was over the tracks I saw movement in my rear view mirror and looked up and the train was crossing the road right behind me. I was literally seconds from being hit by a train, and I swear I didn't see or hear anything.

Answer 9

A trains can't stop as quick as a car can, so usually when the train can see the car stuck on the track it's too late to brake.

Answer 10

The reason is stupidity and lack of patience. People see the gates come down and no train around they figure the gates are not working right. They go around the gates...or try to beat the train through the crossing. I have seen (since I work on the railroad) people get stuck under a gate and try to back up and just break the gate. I have seen people on bikes constantly go around the gates.

Answer 11

Because people driving cars are sometimes stupid and think they can outrun the train, but they can't. Trains take a VERY long time to stop, so it isn't their fault that they crash into cars. It's the people driving the cars' fault.