Sat Nav sent driver down narrow Mayo road before collision with train

THE occupants of a car which was struck by a train near Claremorris in September 2023 had been following a Sat Nav which directed them along unfamiliar local roads between the N60 and N17.

The Railway Accident Investigation Unit Ireland (RAIU) report into the collision between a car and a train at the unattended LC XM190 level crossing on the L65516 rural road at Garryredmond, Claremorris found that the two occupants of the car were not aware of the level crossing as they approached it at approximately 3.15pm on September 9, 2023.

The two occupants of the Skoda Octavia car, understood to be 19 and 16 years old at the time, were travelling from Galway to Longford on the N60 but took a wrong exit in Claremorris and onto the N17. The Sat Nav on their mobile phone re-routed the car to leave the N17 and onto local roads which the car driver was unfamiliar with. It is estimated in as little as 15 minutes after taking the wrong exit, the car approached the level crossing.

“Google Maps (satellite navigation system) diverted the car off the national road and onto local roads that the car driver was unfamiliar with,” the report found.

As a result of the collision, the car was 'propelled' approximately 31 metres into an adjacent field landing on the passenger side. The two occupants of the car sustained injuries with the passenger sustained life-changing injuries and were treated at the scene before being airlifted to hospital for treatment.

The car was struck by the 12.45pm Heuston to Westport passenger service which was travelling at a speed of 110 kilometres per hour. The train driver told the investigation that he sounded the horn when he saw the car approach the LC XM190 level crossing and noted that the car was travelling “a bit fast”. As a result the train driver made a full service brake application and continued to sound the horn before making an emergency brake application.

The driver also noted that the car was also slowing while arriving onto the level crossing and came to a “standstill” on the railway line. There was insufficient time to bring the train to a stop before reaching the level crossing and colliding with the car. The driver of the car stated he did not remember the collision.

The report explained that the LC XM190 is an unattended level crossing meaning it is guarded by metal gates across a public road; whereby a member of the public will have to open and shut the gates to cross the railway and continue on the road.

At the time of the collision the gate had been left open to road traffic by a previous unknown user and the RAIU identified this as a 'causal factor' relating to the collision.

The RAIU also found that the car driver was unfamiliar with level crossings and as a result did not react to the three advance warning signs on approach to the level crossing by slowing the car or stopping at a stop sign.

At the time of the accident, a Decision Support System (DSS), which provides information for users on the approach of trains, was present at LC XM190 but had not been commissioned as a result of difficulty in getting electricity to the location.

Prior to and after the accident, the Department of Transport and relevant stakeholders were undergoing a pilot programme in relation to the advance warning sign and additional traffic calming measures at similar level crossings.

A new sign currently being trialled depicts a train striking a car, with a “collision” element, clearly illustrating the hazard and the severity of the hazard if the sign is not adhered to the warning. The RAIU stated that initial feedback, from level crossing users, is that they are in favour of the proposed new sign.

As a result of the investigation, the RAIU made a safety recommendation that the advance warning signs on the approaches to these level crossings should portray the hazard and indicate the severity of not adhering to the warning.

The location of the car following the impact with the train at a level crossing near Claremorris

The report also found that the train coupler was in the extended position as a result of issues related to retracting the coupler and this was a contributory factor to the damage and injuries sustained to the car occupants and car.

“Had the coupler been retracted, it may have reduced the rate of rotation of the car from the initial impact and may have reduced the damage sustained by the car and the subsequent injuries to the car occupants. However, it cannot be determined what damage the car would have sustained had the coupler been retracted (ie) there could have been worse damage; and in addition, there could have been other unintended unwanted consequences,” the report read.