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3 steps to getting out of a train accident alive

TODAY national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen visits safety expert Scott Sauer, who explains three ways to escape a train accident.
/ Source: TODAY

Late on Tuesday, an Amtrak train bound for New York City derailed in Philadelphia, killing at least six people and injuring dozens.

If you were caught in a train accident, would you know what to do? In February, TODAY national investigative correspondent Jeff Rossen visited Scott Sauer, safety expert for SEPTA, Philadelphia's regional rail service, who explained three ways to get out of a train accident alive:

  1. Go car to car. If there is a problem in the car you're in, proceed to the next one.
  2. Open the door. All trains have emergency signs by the doors. Follow the instructions on the sign to open the door through which you entered the train. (Be careful to look both ways when you exit so you don't get hit by another train on a neighboring track.)
  3. Open an emergency exit window. All trains have them. Look for the one closest you and follow the instructions to open it.