Suburban Train Crossings Deadliest in Chicago Area: Study

Chicago - A new study is out on the most dangerous railroad crossings in the Chicago area. The most deadly suburbs for train crossings are Barrington, LaGrange, Villa Park, Lake Forest and Franklin Park, according to a Northwestern University study printed in the Chicago Tribune .

Analysts looked at seven years of fatalities and found that one person is killed every 10 days in the Chicago area.

From 2004 to 2010, 251 pedestrians and 9 cyclists were hit and killed by trains; 40 percent were suicides. An additional 29 deaths involved motor vehicles.

The study found it's a bigger problem in the suburbs than the city, since the city has more viaducts that separate pedestrians from train tracks.

Metra and Union Pacific installed new signs and audio alerts to warn of incoming trains at stations on the West Line earlier this year, but analysts recommend more safety enhancements, such as putting more fencing around tracks.

Commuters and ticket agents at the LaGrange Station said they see pedestrians taking chances frequently.

Just last Thursday, there were two train-related fatalities, in Vernon Hills and Naperville. Both victims were men.