I was devastated when I heard about the Metro accident and lives lost and many persons injured. I am a DC resident who takes Metro virtually everyday. I love the convenience of the Metro system. And for those who complain about Metro, just continue to drive and get stuck in traffic. Monday’s tragedy was a dark day for DC and Metro.
An investigator for the National Transportation Safety Board says the Feds recommended 3 years ago the older fleet of cars known as the 1000 series be replaced, removed or retrofitted. The striking train was the older series. Although, no one knows yet what caused the accident, I hope Metro’s decision to keep these older cars had nothing to do with the cause.
Even if the aging cars did not cause the accident, they very well may have contributed to the lives lost or persons injured. The train cars were completely smashed compromising the crash worthiness of the cars. The crash worthiness of the older 1000 series was questioned previously by the National Transportation Safety Board. I’ve spent a long time representing clients injured by defective products. Crash worthiness of vehicles can save or cause lives to be lost. That’s why automobiles, trucks and why Metro cars are tested to see how they will withstand a crash. We even rate and give high marks to cars for their crash worthiness.
No amount of saving money by Metro is worth one person’s life. Even if removing these ill fitted older cars will slow the system, let’s just do it. A human life is worth far more than the cost of replacement of the older 1000 car series.
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