At a railway crossing, drivers rely on automation, which is supposed to guarantee safety. But on Saturday, November 14, in the city of Spišská Nová Ves, the system failed, leading to a serious accident.
In the morning at the crossing on Markušovská cesta street, a freight train collided with a Škoda Fabia passenger car. According to preliminary police data, the driver entered the tracks when the light signals suddenly went off and the barriers lifted. At that moment, a train was approaching the crossing and hit the left front part of the car.
As a result of the collision, the car driver suffered serious injuries. According to preliminary doctors' conclusions, his treatment and incapacity will last more than 42 days. Fortunately, he was alone in the car. The train driver and the train itself were not injured.
The police opened a criminal case under the article on causing bodily harm. As reported by the Slovak police, the train driver tested negative for alcohol and drugs. The car driver had biological material taken at the hospital for analysis. Investigators are determining why exactly the safety system at the crossing malfunctioned.
Due to the accident, traffic on this section was temporarily stopped. Railway transport and cars were blocked for several hours while rescue services worked on site. Train traffic was fully restored only around noon.
