ATLANTA — In the past few weeks, metro Atlanta has seen multiple accidents involving trains.
Channel 2’s Michael Doudna started diving into the numbers that show Georgia is one of the worst places in the country for train accidents.
“Seeing any crashes in Georgia is too often. I would say that all incidents are preventable. They’re avoidable,” said Jennifer Tyler, State Coordinator for Georgia Operation Lifesaver
Operation Lifesaver tracks train wrecks, and last year, they found Georgia had the fourth most train accidents in the country, behind states with more miles of rail.
And as of August, federal data showed the state already had more than 50 train accidents in 2025.
“I think that it happens because we get in a hurry and we’re just not aware of the dangers,” Tyler said.
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Tyler said there are two main causes of accidents. The first from people being in a hurry, trying to race across the rail line. And then there are trucks that can get stuck on the grade, the hump as you go over the tracks, leaving them marooned in the middle of the track.
It’s what happened last week to Toree Davis, who saw his tractor-trailer of seven cars get stuck while a train chugged down the tracks.
“My life flashed before my eyes,” Davis said at the time.
On Wednesday, employees of Norfolk Southern cleaned up trackside grits and metal after the most recent accident involving a truck and a train in Conley.
If you ever find yourself stuck on train tracks, each crossing should have a blue sign with a number you can call that should help notify people of the exact issue you are dealing with.
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