Train Hits Lorry. Driver Blames It on Bad English

Earlier in August this year, a National Express train derailed after hitting a lorry tanker at the crossing in Little Cornard near Sudbury, Suffolk., injuring 19 of the 30 people on board in the process. As usual, the fault for the crash belongs to the driver of the tanker.

But that's not what the driver of the tanker thinks. He admits he is guilty, but not entirely. You see, he's very poor English allegedly prevented him from reading and understanding properly the warnings signs near the crossing, which advised drivers to use the nearby telephone to check if there is a train coming or not.

Anyway, the result of the guy's poor English turned into 15 months jail time and three years driving ban. Arvydas Bartasius, the lorry driver, pleaded guilty in court for endangering the safety of the train passengers. His claim that poor English caused the crash was quickly tossed aside by the court, after phone records showed that the Lithuanian driver had passed through the area before and knew the procedure.

"You had used this level crossing before and knew that you had to phone for clearance,” judge John Holt said at the sentencing. "You didn't do this. Instead you opened the gates and drove across. You took a chance, but tragically a train was coming from Sudbury.”

According the The Telegraph, the driver of the train, Colin Hockley, was commended for running to the back of the train and telling the passengers to brace for impact as soon as he saw he had no way of avoiding the crash.