D.C. Metro Safety Record Abysmal One Year After Fatal Red Line Accident
One year ago today at the height of evening rush hour, Washington DC was shocked by the deadliest accident in the 33-year history of the capitol's Metrorail transportation system. Nine people died and dozens suffered serious personal injuries when one Metro train slammed into the rear of another on the city's Red Line. The force of the crash compressed the length of the lead car of the striking train by one-third and pushed it up and over the roof of the train it rear-ended. One of the most horrific railroad accidents in the country, the D.C. Red Line Metro crash served as the impetus for a nationwide review of transit safety, introduction of federal oversight legislation and a major shakeup Metrorail leadership.
A year later, citing what they term an "abysmal" safety record, Metro critics say not much has changed. Proposed transit legislation is stalled in Congress, state transit oversight remains weak, D.C.'s Metrorail still lacks permanent leadership, and accidents continue to plague Metro lines. In the past year, 13 Metro workers and passengers have been killed in D.C. rail system accidents.
When D.C. transit accidents occur, the expert knowledge of a D.C. personal injury attorney is needed to unravel the layers of governmental responsibility to determine fault and help accident victims obtain the medical and personal injury compensation they are entitled to.
