Blind Woman in Louisiana Hit and Injured by Train

(Ruston, Louisiana) - A woman who is blind was hit and seriously injured by a train last week, and now many are asking how this unfortunate accident could have happened.

According to the Lincoln Parish Journal, a 41-year-old woman attending a training course at the Louisiana Center for the Blind in Ruston was struck by a train at about 5:00 p.m. last Friday evening.

The tracks where the woman was hit are not far from the Center for the blind, and she was reportedly walking home after a brief training session.

When authorities arrived on the scene, they found the woman suffering from critical injuries, and she was treated on the scene before being airlifted to Ochsner LSU Health in Shreveport.

The latest report is that the pedestrian was in critical but stable condition at the hospital, and there was no specific description of what injuries she sustained in this accident.

The Journal reports that the center where the woman was coming from had this to say about the unfortunate accident:

“We are keeping the student and [her] family in our thoughts and ask that everyone respect their privacy during this difficult time. We are grateful for everyone’s prayers and support.”

Since this story was published, many on social media have been asking how this could happen. Some asked whether the train's horn was engaged as it approached the crossing, while others said that because a train's horn is so loud, it can be hard for someone who is visually impaired to tell which direction the train is coming from.

As for public safety, the Journal reports that the City of Ruston has added fencing along some parts of the railroad tracks through the city, but fencing can't be added where vehicles cross. Sadly, it appears that the pedestrian was using the crossing area where vehicles cross the railway, where fencing is not present.

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People Injured by Trains in Louisiana

According to the Louisiana Highway Safety Commission, train strikes and train-vehicle collisions average 70 to 80 per year. On average, there are 5 to 15 deaths per year from crossing and track impacts.

As for the number of people injured in crashes with trains in Louisiana, roughly 30 to 40 people suffer non-fatal injuries yearly.

Remember, anytime you approach a railroad crossing, whether on foot or in a vehicle, you should stop, look both ways, and always listen for a train horn.