Investigator: Texting driver should have seen stopped trolley

The operator of a trolley that rear-ended another trolley should have been able to see the other vehicle was stopped 480 feet ahead, a federal investigator said Monday. The trolley driver has told investigators he was text messaging during Friday night’s collision, which injured 20 people

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Boston trolley driver was texting at time of crash, official says

The operator of the trolley that rear-ended another trolley Friday night in downtown Boston, Massachusetts, has told investigators that he was text messaging at the time of the accident, which injured 20 people, a transit official said. “The operator of the striking train was interviewed at the hospital by two detectives,” said Daniel Grabauskas, general manager of the Metropolitan Boston Transit Authority. “He admitted that he was texting at the time of the accident.” Grabauskus said the operator told detectives that, when he looked up, “it was too late as he applied the brake and the train struck the other trolley.” Grabauskus described himself as “outraged.” “We have reinforced for a number of years that the use of cellphones or any other kinds of electronic devices while operating a train or a bus is absolutely prohibited,” Grabauskus said.

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