The woman who was killed in a recent ATV collision with a train has been identified by authorities.
Patricia Dempsey was riding as a passenger on an ATV on Saturday, July 29 on the 4100 block of Koch Road in St. Louis County, Missouri. She was taken to St. Anthony’s Hospital after the accident, but was pronounced dead on arrival. She was 28 years old when she died.
An unnamed man, 32 years of age, was driving the ATV at the time of the accident. He was airlifted to a hospital following the crash. Doctors at the hospital have announced that he is expected to survive. Both were natives of the south St. Louis County area.
An acquaintance of the victims told local news stations that the driver was Dempsey’s husband, and the two were riding alongside another couple who were also operating an ATV. The source said the victims attempted to cross a train track as a train approached, and that Dempsey’s vehicle did not make it in time and was hit.
This accident illustrates several key safety issues that must be addressed for all ATV operators. The first is that ATVs, like any vehicle, require certain safety precautions. They are not protected or enclosed, and expose their operators and passengers to additional risks compared to other vehicles. Regulations for operating an ATV are not as strenuous as those for operating a motorcycle or automobile, meaning that many ATV users are sadly unaware of the risks inherent to the vehicles, and of the safety precautions required when using an ATV.
The second issue is the matter of train crossings. Many train crossings are only moderately marked at best, but no one should ever attempt to cross train tracks when a train is coming. The wait may be inconvenient, but it can also save your life. No one ever died waiting for a train to cross.