C6/​2003R Shunt­ing unit and ve­hi­cle com­bi­na­tion car­ry­ing a ce­ment load col­lid­ing in Lappeen­ranta on 1 July, 2003

23.03.2004

On Tuesday July 1st, 2003, an accident took place in Lappeenranta, Finland, when a shunting unit collided with a vehicle combination travelling on a level crossing. In the accident four persons were slightly injured. The locomotive of the shunting unit derailed. As a result of the accident, the trailer of the vehicle combination, a Dv12 dieselhydraulic locomotive and safety installations in the track were damaged. Moreover the rubber deck of the level crossing suffered some damage. The resulting total cost amounted to about € 150 300.

The accident was caused by the vehicle combination having insufficient time at its disposal for passing the level crossing before the arrival of the shunting unit at the crossing. The visual clearance at the level crossing does not always ensure its safe crossing. As a contributory factor to the accident, within the level crossing area the attention of the driver of the vehicle combination was partly focussed on his mobile phone.

With consideration of the accident, the Accident Investigation Board of Finland recommends that the level crossing referred to be equipped with warning devices. The Accident Investigation Board moreover recommends that such level crossings without safety installations, featuring a poor visual clearance that cannot ensure vehicle combinations a safe crossing, be equipped with a driving prohibition sign applicable to regular vehicle combination traffic.