Table 2-38: Railroad Passenger Safety Data
Table 2-38: Railroad Passenger Safety Data
| 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | (R) 2008 | (P) 2009 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passenger fatalitiesa | 3 | 8 | 3 | 58 | 5 | 0 | 12 | 6 | 4 | 14 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 5 | 24 | 3 |
| Injured persons | 473 | 382 | 411 | 559 | 497 | 573 | 513 | 601 | 535 | 481 | 658 | 746 | 877 | 727 | 703 | (R) 957 | (R) 935 | (R) 1,510 | 1,297 | 1,096 |
| Train-miles, passenger trains (millions) | 72 | 74 | 74 | 75 | 75 | 76 | 77 | 78 | 78 | 82 | 84 | 88 | 90 | 89 | 89 | 90 | 92 | 95 | 98 | 103 |
| Fatalities per 100 million passenger train-miles | 4.2 | 10.8 | 4.1 | 77.3 | 6.7 | 0.0 | (R) 15.6 | 7.7 | 5.1 | 17.0 | 4.7 | 3.4 | 7.8 | 3.4 | 3.4 | 17.8 | 2.2 | 5.2 | 24.5 | 2.9 |
| Injuries per 100 million passenger train-miles | 656.9 | 516.2 | 555.4 | 745.3 | 662.7 | 753.9 | 666.2 | 770.2 | 682.5 | 583.6 | 780.7 | 850.1 | 979.1 | 813.3 | 787.0 | (R) 1,064.5 | (R) 1,016.8 | (R) 1,583.7 | 1,322.8 | 1,064.9 |
KEY: P = preliminary; R = revised.
a There were three major train accidents that account for the increase number of deaths in 1993, 2005 and 2008. In 1993 a barge struck a rail bridge in Alabama causing an Amtrak train to derail into the waterway below leading to 42 passenger deaths. In 2005, a Southern California Regional Rail Authority train struck a jeep at a non-grade crossing location, derailed and struck a UPRR locomotive, which caused the train to strike another Southern California Regional Rail Authority train. The total passenger fatalities from both trains were 10. In 2008, a Southern California Regional Rail Authority train ran a red signal and collided head-on with a Union Pacific RR Co. freight, which lead to 24 passenger deaths.
NOTES
A Train-mile is the movement of a train (which can consist of many cars) the distance of 1 mile. A Train-mile differs from a vehicle-mile, which is the movement of 1 car (vehicle) the distance of 1 mile. A 10-car (vehicle) train traveling 1 mile would be measured as 1 Train-mile and 10 vehicle-miles. Caution should be used when comparing Train-miles to vehicle miles.
Passenger fatalities and Injured persons include passengers on trains only.
SOURCES
Fatalities and injuries:
1990-97: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety, Railroad Safety Statistics Annual Report (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table 1-2, available at FRA Safety Data Portal as of Sept. 8, 2010.
1998-2009: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety, Railroad Safety Statistics 2009 Preliminary Annual Report (Washington, DC: Reporting month of May 2010), table 1-2, available at FRA Safety Data Portal as of Sept. 8, 2010.
Train-miles, passenger trains:
1990-96: U.S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics calculations (sum of all commuter rail train-miles reported to USDOT, Federal Transit Administration, plus Amtrak train-miles).
1997-2007: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety, Railroad Safety Statistics Annual Report (Washington, DC: Annual Issues), table 2-4, available at FRA Safety Data Portal as of Sept. 8, 2010.
2008: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety, Railroad Safety Statistics 2008 Preliminary Annual Report (Washington, DC: Reporting month of December 2009), table 2-4, available at FRA Safety Data Portal as of Sept. 8, 2010.
2009: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety, Railroad Safety Statistics 2009 Preliminary Annual Report (Washington, DC: Reporting month of May 2010), table 2-4, available at FRA Safety Data Portal as of Sept. 8, 2010.