Wilmington, IL — Eleven people were injured when an Amtrak train crashed into a semi-truck in Wilmington, Illinois, on Friday, June 5, 2015. The accident happened at a train crossing on New River Road, around 4:00 in the afternoon.
Police say that Keith D. Morris, the driver of the semi-truck, was seen trying to drive around the crossing gates signaling that a train was approaching.
The injured were taken to Presence Saint Joseph Medical Center and Silver Cross Hospital. Their injuries were reportedly non-life-threatening. The names of the victims haven’t been released.
Police have cited Morris for disregarding a traffic signal.
Why Morris was driving around the gates is unknown at this time. The accident is still being investigated.
Scene of the Accident
View from the Road
Commentary
I just don’t understand accidents like this. Now, there are going to be some drivers who are better than others. My wife is a better driver than I am. But, and this is especially true for anyone driving a commercial vehicle, there has to be a base level of skill a driver possess to actually carry out their job. They don’t have to be the best driver in the world — although we definitely want them to be as good as possible — but they have to be good at their job. And they absolutely can’t make stupid decisions that are needlessly going to risk the safety of others. That’s exactly what happened here. The driver saw the traffic signal, and he made the decision to try and drive around them. He and those on board the train are lucky the accident didn’t turn out worse than it could have. I’ve seen several accidents just like this one where those involved weren’t so lucky.
Still, people were hurt in this accident. And from what’s been reported, those people were hurt as a direct result of the truck driver’s actions. He needs to be held responsible for that. And if his making this decision happened because of the training he’s received, or his company’s attitude toward safety in general, steps need to be taken to change that. This sort of behavior shows a complete lack of regard for the safety of others, and it can’t be allowed to happen. Holding the driver and his company responsible for that helps to ensure that the same mistakes won’t be repeated in the future.
— Grossman Law Offices
