Tragic stroke of fate: child dies of unlimited level crossing

Tragic stroke of fate: child dies of unlimited level crossing

Eisenbahnkreuzung in Ottensheim, 4100 Ottensheim, Österreich - On June 5, 2025, a tragic accident occurred on an untrained railway crossing in Ottensheim, Urfahr-Umgebung district, Austria. A six -year -old boy crossed the tracks with his bike when a locomotive raced headally into his side. The incident took place, while the child's father, who drove behind him, was traveling with a trailer and the boy's younger sister. Despite all efforts, the collision could not be prevented. The boy suffered such serious injuries that he died in the hospital a little later. The relatives and the train driver were subsequently looked after by a crisis intervention team.

This tragic incident occurred just three days after a similar accident, in which another child in Upper Austria lost life. This accumulation of accidents in such a short time throws a worrying light on the safety of level crossings and the dangers that children are exposed to in these areas.

another tragic incident

Already on June 2, 2025, a six -year -old boy in Eferding was the victim of a similar fate. While he alone crossed his children's bike with his children's bike a secured Neither near the Hali company, he disregarded the red light of the light signal system. A railcar from the Linz local railway caught him head -on despite the emergency braking that was initiated immediately. The alarmed fire brigades and rescue workers could only find the boy's death. The incident requires a considerable contingent of emergency services, including crane vehicles to rescue the accident.

The tragic loss of children in rail accidents is an alarming reality. According to a study by the International Railway Association UIC, 27 % of all train accidents have been recorded at level crossings, whereby 98 % of those affected died in such areas in the event of accidents. Particular attention should be paid to the education about the dangers and the need for appropriate security precautions in order to prevent such tragic incidents.

The dangers of level crossings

experts indicate that the risk of crossing a level crossing is often underestimated. The head of the railway technology at TÜV Nord, Stefan Pöting, emphasizes that quiet trains are often perceived too late and that long braking routes are usually underestimated. A train needs more than 700 meters at a speed of 160 km/h to get to a standstill. The risk of being recorded by a train is therefore considerable and should not be lightly ignored.

Technical security precautions such as barriers or warning lights are inevitable to increase safety at level crossings. A barrier must be actively bypassed to get over the track. The need for better clarification is crucial so that such tragedies do not repeat themselves. Pöting recommends: prefer to arrive too late than to take an unnecessary risk.