Valley Metro seeks new signs after 42 train crashes: Here’s what’s next
Valley Metro says 42 crashes this year are mostly avoidable
PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A light rail train moving through an intersection in the Valley was struck by a car that made an illegal turn in front of it, according to dashcam video from the train’s cabin. Valley Metro says crashes like this one are more common than the agency would like and are preventable.
So far this year, there have been 42 crashes involving cars and light rail trains, according to Valley Metro. The agency says 80% of those crashes happen when drivers go when they should not.
“It’s more of a trend that we’re seeing,” said Juliana Vasquez-Keating, public information officer for Valley Metro.
Cost of collisions
“One crash is too many in our opinion, right? So we’re doing what we can to prevent, to raise awareness,” said Vasquez-Keating.
Each collision causes Valley Metro about $23,000 in damage on average. The agency said drivers’ insurance often does not cover the full cost.
“We always try to recover as much as we can from insurance, but typically we can’t recover all costs,” said Tony Santana the deputy chief for design and construction at Valley Metro.
“So on average, most motorists have about $15,000 that cover accidents like this,” Santana said. “So on average, we’re effectively not able to recuperate about $8,000 per incident.”
Locations where crashes tend to happen
Valley Metro identified five locations where these crashes tend to happen:
- 15th Avenue and Camelback, Phoenix
- Central Avenue and Alta Vista, Phoenix
- 22nd Street and Washington/Jefferson, Phoenix
- 40th Street and Washington, Phoenix
- Dobson Road and Main Street, Mesa
“We’ve noticed there is a lot of bad behaviors,” said Santana.
Agency seeks new signage
Valley Metro officials say most of the crashes are the drivers’ fault, and the agency is working to prevent them. Valley Metro wants to update traffic signs and provided video of proposed signage.
Valley Metro is talking with Phoenix, Tempe and Mesa about adding the new signage. There is no timeline yet for when that will happen.
Until the changes roll out, Valley Metro is urging drivers to slow down and pay attention around the tracks.
“Just be aware, pay attention when you know you’re approaching intersections with light rail or streetcar. Please pay attention to the signage because our trains are quiet,” said Santana.
See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it.
Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description.
Copyright 2026 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved.