Readers React: Put seat belts on trains

To the editor: There is no question that the far heavier locomotives would have a far lesser chance of derailing when hitting relatively light objects such as a pickup truck, which may have resulted in far fewer injuries in an incident such as the Metrolink crash and derailment in Oxnard. (“For Metrolink riders, an explosion, then ‘everything started flying,’” Feb. 24)

However, there is another factor that would have almost certainly reduced the casualties: seat-belt use. The vast majority of trains do not have seat belts.

I think we need a major overhaul of our passenger trains to accommodate seat belts. This would surely save lives and reduce injuries.

Michael Pravica, Henderson, Nev.

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