pruitt public safety forcing his drivers

The department has authority over private crossings only if they intersect with roads in the state highway system.

None would take his case because a North Carolina law prevents the state department of transportation from regulating private crossings. “You’re talking personal private property, and where does the government’s role fit within that, especially at the federal level?” Payne asked.Īfter his father’s accident, R’Mone contacted six attorneys seeking to file a wrongful death or a faulty design lawsuit. But he acknowledged that oversight of private property remains a touchy issue. Where the responsibility falls is “really complicated” for private crossings, according to James Payne, staff director for the grade crossing and trespasser outreach division of the Federal Railroad Administration's safety office.įrom Payne’s perspective, landowners should be held responsible because they knowingly entered into agreements with railroad companies. When something does go wrong, even preventing future accidents proves difficult. In many instances, it is unclear who is responsible for safety at a private crossing. The jurisdiction over private crossings is often left to 100-year-old paper agreements between original landowners and railroad companies, with no universal standards. Safety measures at public crossings are reviewed by departments of transportation, public utilities commissions and railroad companies. The Brentwood crossing had two stop signs, one on either side of the tracks, but no lights, gates or barrier arms. These accidents and thousands more over the past decade underscore the dangers of private crossings, which often lack safety features. More: At least 3 dead after Amtrak train collides with car in Northern California, officials say

Pruitt public safety forcing his drivers