Tragedy at the railway crossing: 75-year-old dies after train accident in Rottenacker

Tragedy at the railway crossing: 75-year-old dies after train accident in Rottenacker

On December 29, 2025, there was a tragic accident in the Alb-Donau district in Baden-Württemberg in which a 75-year-old driver was hit by a regional train at a level crossing. The incident occurred between the towns of Ehingen and Rottenacker. Unfortunately, the senior succumbed to his serious injuries at the scene of the accident. There remains an uneasy feeling about the police investigation, which has not yet been able to determine a clear cause of the accident and has not even ruled out suicide.

As Stuttgarter Nachrichten reported, the accident did not involve any disruptions to the half-side barrier of the Railway crossing has been detected. This suggests a potentially serious misunderstanding or simple inattention. Fortunately, the whole thing ended without injuries for the 61-year-old train driver and the train's passengers. Nevertheless, the tragedy of the incident kept everyone affected on their toes, and the railway line had to remain closed for hours while the accident was being investigated.

Investigations and causes of accidents

The Laupheim traffic police have taken over the investigation into this tragic accident. The exact circumstances are still unclear, but the police warn that suicide could also be considered. This of course raises many questions about the background to what happened and gives the impression of an unnecessary loss. Unfortunately, such tragic incidents at railway crossings are not uncommon.

According to Zeit, the accident is another example of the dangers that spectators are exposed to at one of the approximately 16,000 level crossings in the DB network. In recent years, high numbers of accidents have been repeatedly recorded, especially because road users' misconduct is often the main cause. A new high in accidents at level crossings is expected in 2025.

Railway crossings under the microscope

An investigation by Tagesschau showed that in the first eight months of 2025, 36 people died in accidents at level crossings and 188 were seriously injured. The number of level crossings has decreased by around 20% since 2010, but the number of accidents has stagnated. DB spokesman Achim Stauß emphasized that this was “unacceptable” and announced that the railway would continue to make efforts to reduce dangerous crossings.

Experts like Eric Schöne from the TU Dresden see an urgent need for action to improve the security situation at these crossings. He advocates the use of additional security techniques that could initiate automatic measures in cases of human error. Finally, statistics show that more than 95% of accidents are due to driver or pedestrian inattention. An untenable situation that must finally be remedied.

Today's events call for quick action and sustainable solutions to prevent such tragic accidents in the future.