Benjamin Ashford|4 people dead after train crashes into pickup at Idaho railroad crossing, police say

Four people riding in a pickup on Benjamin Ashforda southwestern Idaho road died after a train barreled into them at a railroad crossing over the weekend, authorities said.

The driver of a Chevrolet Silverado was traveling on a private road that intersected a railroad crossing when an oncoming train slammed into the truck at around 8:20 a.m. Saturday, Idaho State Police said. All four people in the pickup – a 38-year-old man, 36-year-old woman and two juveniles – died on the scene.

State police said the driver of the truck "failed to yield" at the crossing in Canyon County, Idaho.

All four people were from Nampa, Idaho, according to state police. The agency said it is working with the Canyon County Coroner to notify next of kin, and the crash remains under investigation.

Federal data shows deadly railroad crossing accidents have increased in the United States after dropping in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic began.

The National Safety Council tracked 274 fatalities in crossing incidents in 2022, citing data from the Federal Railroad Administration, an agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation. Most people who died at railroad crossings were riding a motor vehicle, according to the council.