Medical condition may have played a role in train-car crash, say police

The medical condition of Heather Boyd, the 27-year-old Acton woman who was killed when her car was struck by a VIA train at a Dublin Line crossing north of Hwy. 7 last Wednesday, may have played a role in the crash. "There could be medical reasons for the crash that are part of the investigation," said Sgt. Trevor Hay of the Halton Regional Traffic Bureau. Hay would provide no further details at press time. As a result of the crash at the crossing that was protected with lights and bells, but not safety gates, Halton Hills Mayor Rick Bonnette is calling for Town staff to investigate whether six level railway crossings in town meet the criteria for installation of gates. With the town's population growing and more traffic on the roads, it's time for the safety issue at the crossings to be examined, said Bonnette Monday. Two railway lines cut through the town. One line, known as Halton Subdivision, sees

30 trains a day, and the other line, the Guelph Subdivision, where Boyd was killed sees about six trains a day, Bonnette said.

Bonnette said he's not aware of any other accidents occurring at the Dublin Line crossing, "but one fatality is enough." Safety gates were installed at a Fourth Line Halton Hills level crossing after Acton teens Rory Dick, Travis Toth and Mark Everson were killed when their car was hit by a train there in September 2000. That accident happened nine months after a dump truck driver was killed when his vehicle struck an Amtrak train at the same crossing, causing it to derail and injuring several passengers. Transport Canada determines if safety gates should be installed at level crossings. It's up to municipal governments to make a formal application for funding for safety gates, then the department determines whether the crossing meets the criteria which include volume and speed of trains and vehicles, the number of tracks, sightlines, other distracting factors and history of accidents at that location. Gates cost about $250,000.