Bus/train accident

[Topaz]

First of all, my prays go out to all who have been affected by this terrible accident. Apparently, on the social websites many people are blaming the bus driver and I don't think that's right until we know for sure what exactly happen. One expert, I listen to said, he thinks what happen was there's a curve in the road the bus was taking and the driver may not have seen the train coming until its was too late to stop. Another driver at the bus depot, said he trys NOT to driver those double-deck bus because they are very very heavy and very hard to stop. It's probabnly like trying to stop a loaded 18 wheeler in a very short time. I thought ALL bus were to stop at train crossing but that only for school buses. I hope the government involve will do something, so another accident like this never happens. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/bus-driver-dave-woodard-had-clean-record-before-fatal-crash-1.1859555

[Shady]

It's not possible to prevent something like this from happening again. It's impossible to legislate out human error.

[cybercoma]

That's simply not true. There are things that can be done to limit the possibility of human error and to limit the severity of the outcomes from human error. For instance, they may reconsider the bus route; they could change the roadway; they could change the braking systems on the buses; they could provide additional training to drivers; and so on. Obviously human error will still occur, but these things can mitigate the consequences.

[Boges]

We simply don't know enough about what caused this accident to even make an informed comment about what happened. Perhaps the driver was texting, perhaps he had a medical problem, perhaps he fell asleep because he was up all night.

We simply don't know. But that doesn't stop the Internets.

Edited September 19, 2013 by Boges

[jacee]

It's not possible to prevent something like this from happening again. It's impossible to legislate out human error.

It is possible to address mechanical failure:

One OC Transpo driver, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not cleared to comment, said he has experienced problems with the brakes on the new double-decker buses the City of Ottawa bought last year. "Ive sent three of them back - the calipers stick," he said.

There is no evidence [yet] of brake failure in this case, but the TSB has confirmed that brake failure will be one of the things it is looking into.

http://www.nationalpost.com/m/wp/news/canada/blog.html?b=news.nationalpost.com/2013/09/18/as-ottawa-bus-smashed-into-train-passengers-learned-the-thin-line-between-life-and-death

Edited September 19, 2013 by jacee

[Moonlight Graham]

We simply don't know enough about what caused this accident to even make an informed comment about what happened. Perhaps the driver was texting, perhaps he had a medical problem, perhaps he fell asleep because he was up all night.

I agree 100%. What if the driver's brakes didn't work? We'll have to wait months or more for the official investigation to conclude everything. In the meantime, my thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones.

[Moonlight Graham]

That's simply not true. There are things that can be done to limit the possibility of human error and to limit the severity of the outcomes from human error.

I totally agree. If at every railway crossing the road went completely underneath the railway, or there was a bridge over the railway, and there were barriers preventing any possible way for vehicles to veer off the road and onto the railway, this would eliminate virtually any chance of this ever happening. However, doing such at every railway crossing is very likely not fiscally or even logistically realistic.

[Guest American Woman]

I agree 100%. What if the driver's brakes didn't work? We'll have to wait months or more for the official investigation to conclude everything. In the meantime, my thoughts are with the victims and their loved ones.

As are my thoughts.

From what I've read, the passengers were yelling at the bus driver to stop, which made me immediately question whether or not there was something wrong with the brakes.

[Topaz]

Wouldn't it be safer for ALL commercial vehicles, carrying people STOP at railway crossings like school bus do? That goes for taxis too.

[cybercoma]

We simply don't know enough about what caused this accident to even make an informed comment about what happened. Perhaps the driver was texting, perhaps he had a medical problem, perhaps he fell asleep because he was up all night.

We simply don't know. But that doesn't stop the Internets.

I wasn't making suggestions for what they should do. I'm just saying there are things that they could do, depending on the particular situation. Shady was making an argument that there is absolutely nothing to be done about human error and that idea is not true.

Edited September 20, 2013 by cybercoma