Amtrak crash raises again question of seat belts on trains

New York

IT IS a natural question, one that many people have raised before, and have raised again since Tuesday's fatal Amtrak crash in Philadelphia: Should trains have seat belts?

Transportation experts have asked that question, too, in studies that cite a mix of physics, engineering, human behaviour, and economics - and a healthy dose of uncertainty about their conclusions. Ray LaHood, a former transportation secretary, said this week that the federal government should consider it again.