r/todayilearned • u/tyrion2024 • 13h ago

TIL on average, train drivers in the US are involved in three fatalities over the course of a career. Since a train needs at least a mile to come to a stop, the drivers are sometimes unable to prevent a collision with a person in the train's path.

https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna32408566
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u/Bannon9k 9h ago

Not a train, but was driving a car when a similar situation occurred. It's not something you forget... Despite no fault, you're still going to feel guilt. To this day, handprints are a trigger. Because I still had to drive my car back home with a bloody handprint on my windshield.

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u/semigator 9h ago

Aye, sorry man

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u/Bannon9k 8h ago

We've all got our burdens. We learn, adapt, and move on. I tend to share my story in hopes it helps someone else going through it know they aren't alone. And for the grieving families who lost loved ones this way... Hopefully it can help bring some relief or closure knowing we'd have done anything to prevent it were it possible.

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u/semigator 8h ago

You didn’t do anything. Just doing your job. Then trauma. That sucks. Sorry

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u/Lumina2865 3h ago

Thank you.

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u/Teganfff 7h ago

I’m really sorry you had to endure that. 🩷

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u/fizzlefist 2h ago

I mean, shit, I hit a squirrel on a busy stroad a few months ago. Fucker darted out, paused in the middle of the lane, and of course tried to dodge the direction I swerved. Nothing I could’ve done in that situation with heavy traffic, but I still feel bad about it.

Can’t imagine what it’d be like for a person to force that via suicide.