JohnE Nobody is looking for a scapegoat in someone beyond defending themselves. The driver in fact has been described as a very diligent and 12 year experienced engineer. The young people involved came forward, no small bearing of possible responsibility for this tragedy. They have text messages and a photo of the engineer drivng past posted on their blog- a blog he contributed to. It MAY BE he had a momentary lapse of his usual attentiveness. How many of us have done something REALLY DUMB in an automobile?

KNOWING how something happened and understanding WHY are two different things.

I remember an interview with Colonel Olds, a Vietnam USAF fighter pilot who downed 4 Migs before being pullled off the line.Olds had flown P51s in WW2, F 86s Korea and finished pushing a big old THUD over Hanoi.In the interview he was asked what he did differently. Olds immediately replied that on the tarmac waiting to take off he would start switching OFF all kinds of systems that were more distraction than aid.

I can bet easy money cellphones and other personal communications will be banned from the engine compartment.