A Metro Rail train has derailed after striking a vehicle in East L.A.
yeah man, i'm sure the rail car just went out of its way to strike the car
How dare that train drive on its tracks at a regular speed and route? Thousands and thousands of individual drivers of varying degrees of intelligence and impulse control can’t handle this level of chaos!
I agree that cars get given cop voice, but this particular example I’m not sure how you could reword that sentence. I think I would say “train derails after striking x” regardless of what the object was.
Train derails after striking cow escaped from pasture. Train derails after striking fallen log.
Active voice first.
"A car on the train tracks caused an East LA Metro train to derail"
Fair enough but establishing a causative form is critical here. As written, the train is to blame for striking the car in the same way a car is to blame for striking the pedestrian.