AZ has the Most Dangerous Railroad Crossings in U.S.
April 22, 2016
According to data released yesterday by the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), Phoenix tops the list of U.S. cities with the most dangerous railroad crossings. Because Glendale also made the list, Arizona is the only state in the country to have more than one crossing with a particularly high occurrence of train accidents. It is also the only state to have more than one crossing on the FRA’s “Top 13 Most Dangerous Railroad Crossings” list.
The FRA discovered the “top 13” after compiling a decade’s worth of accident statistics from over 200,000 railroad crossings across the United States. The data showed 13 of these crossings were particularly dangerous, and five of these crossings were located in the Phoenix metro area. Additionally, two more were located in Glendale. The 13 crossings made the list because they each had at least 10 accidents in the past 10 years.
The railroad crossings with the first, second and fifth highest accident rates in the country are in Phoenix, while those ranked third and 12th are in Glendale. The Arizona crossings that made the “Top 13” list include:
- West Thomas Road, east of North 27th Avenue in Phoenix
- North 35th Avenue, south of U.S. 60 and West Indian School Road in Phoenix
- North 43rd Avenue, south of U.S. 60 in Glendale
- North 27th Avenue, north of West Thomas Road in Phoenix
- The 5100 block of West Bethany Home Road in Glendale
The accidents at these crossings involved a variety of circumstances, including trains hitting vehicles stopped in the crossings, vehicles running into moving trains and pedestrians being struck while crossing the tracks.
Each of the Phoenix and Glendale crossings have 12 trains passing through each day, and all have heavy vehicle traffic on a regular basis. More than 30,000 vehicles pass through the five dangerous railroad crossings in Phoenix each day.
According to Brian Lehman, head of Arizona Corporation Commission’s Railroad Safety Division, heavy traffic and a lack of warning gates at two of the dangerous Phoenix crossings are currently being addressed in an effort to increase safety. However, Lehman did not know when improvements would be made, because doing so requires approval from the state, the cities of Phoenix and Glendale, and the BNSF Railway Company, which owns all railroad tracks in Arizona.
Lehman is remaining optimistic, however, as the FRA’s recently released data helps show where repeat railroad crossing injuries and fatalities occur, which in turn helps the state and related organizations focus their time and resources on areas where they can have the most beneficial impact.
If you or someone you love was injured at a dangerous railroad crossing, the experienced Glendale personal injury lawyers at Phillips Law Group can help you receive the justice and compensation you deserve.
Call 1-800-706-3000 or fill out ourFREE Case Review Form
Free Case Evaluation
By submitting your contact information, you agree that we may contact you by telephone (including text) and email in accordance with our Terms and Privacy Policy

Your message has been sent
Thank you for your message, we will get back to you soon.
-
My paralegal , Caroline , was on top of her game - very responsive and always answered any questions I had and in a timely manner . My attorney Rob ,was the best attorney I ever had . He explained everything in great detail and had a great sense or humor . He really knows how to bring light To tough , unfortunate situations - I would absolutely recommend them at anyone -
-
Sophia H is a pleasure to work with! Thanks for all you do.
-
Phillips is the best!! Love all that they do to give back to the community and how much they help those who are experiencing homelessness. ❤️
-
Phillips Law Group is a company that has taught me so many things. Here your work, your dedication, effort and discipline are valued, in addition to the fact that, as a woman, as an immigrant and as a human being, I have been given value and empowerment. We are a successful law firm because all workers feel part of a great family. I am very proud and honored to work at Phillips Law Group.
-
Phillips Law Group does so much for the community!!! I especially enjoy seeing Juan Roque out there. This gentle giant always has a smile on his face and is a part of a caring and giving team.
-
Definitely recommend! Awesome
-
Liz Gonzales was great!!!!
-
Many companies talk about teamwork but few practice it. Many companies talk about an employee friendly environment but few actually provide it. At Phillips Law Group the foundation of our success is making sure we work as a team and that we work in an environment that allows everyone to thrive and be at their best every day. Our firm understands that in order for the client to have a great experience the people responsible for that client’s case must be given all the necessary tools and encouragement to make that happen. That’s the Phillips Way. As a manager of this firm in charge of several employees as well as directly affecting the client’s experience I take tremendous pride in saying we live by these premises and we work hard to build on them and make them better every day. This is an amazing place because it has amazing people working here!
-
I would have no hesitation at all recommending Phillips Law Group. In particular, Juan Roque has impressed me with his professionalism, his integrity and his heart for the community!
-
I would like to thank Vanessa Rodriguez for helping me with my case because I was in total shock about the accident. She had listened to all my concerns and had answered every question I had . She was great !!!