Freight train crashes into truck: driver escapes uninjured in Garsten!

Freight train crashes into truck: driver escapes uninjured in Garsten!

In Garsten, Steyr-Land district, there was a serious incident this morning when a freight train collided with a truck. The 25-year-old truck driver was trapped in a difficult situation on a restricted railway crossing. According to report by oe24 he had to reverse during a tight left-hand bend when the railway barriers closed behind him and got caught on the truck's body. Since the truck could not leave the track area in time, the collision with the train occurred just a few seconds later, hitting the rear of the vehicle and causing it to overturn.

Fortunately, the driver was able to climb out of the passenger door uninjured. The train driver, a 35-year-old man, reacted quickly and immediately initiated emergency braking, but sustained minor injuries from splintered glass on the windshield. The serious accident meant that train traffic on this route had to be closed from 7:30 a.m. to 3:15 p.m. The material damage to the truck is classified as a total loss; the locomotive, four wagons, the barrier system and a Thujenhedge were also damaged.

Growing safety concerns at railway crossings

Unfortunately, accidents at railway crossings are not uncommon and recent incidents have highlighted concerns about safety at such crossings. How n-tv reports, Deutsche Bahn plans to further reduce the number of level crossings after a fatal accident in Hamburg in February 2025. The incident claimed the life of an ICE passenger and injured 24 other people. This highlights the importance of accident prevention measures, especially in places that are often dangerous.

There are currently around 15,820 level crossings in Germany, whereas the number was 28,000 in the 1990s. This reduction has helped to drastically reduce the number of accidents: between 1995 and 2023, accidents at level crossings fell by more than 75%. In 2023, only 154 accidents were registered. However, over 95% of collisions between trains and cars occur due to inattention or carelessness.

Recommended measures to improve security

A comprehensive analysis shows that accidents at level crossings are rare compared to overall road traffic accidents, but often have serious consequences. This is how it happened, according to the German Road Safety Council In 2016, there were 995 accidents with personal injuries, including 46 deaths and 1,367 injuries. It is currently crucial to optimize techniques such as light signals and half-barriers and to continue the “Safe Over It” educational campaign to make the population aware of the dangers at level crossings.

Recommendations for improving safety at railway crossings range from monitoring dangerous sections to constructing overpasses and underpasses to avoid dangerous situations. The technical security of unsecured crossings is also considered necessary. The security authorities are also calling for a sensitive analysis and adjustment of all measures in order to further minimize the dangers and ensure the safety of the population.