RAILROAD AND HIGHWAY-RAIL CROSSING FATALITIES
Railroad and Highway-Rail Crossing Fatalities (annual data, selected series)
Rail and Highway-Rail Fatalities (monthly data, not seasonally adjusted)
In most years, the overwhelming majority of people killed in train accidents are outside the train. Many are occupants of highway vehicles, pedestrians, or bystanders at highway-rail grade crossings. Railroad workers and others on railroad property (including trespassers) account for most other rail-related fatalities.
| Rail-related Fatalities | 1999 | 2000 |
|---|---|---|
| Railroad only total | 530 | 512 |
| Railroad only total percent change from previous year | -8.15 | -3.40 |
| Grade crossing total | 402 | 425 |
| Grade crossing total percent change from previous year | -6.73 | 5.72 |
| Passengers on trains | 14 | 4 |
| Passengers on trains percent change from previous year | 250.00 | -71.43 |
NOTE: Rail passengers on trains includes fatalities in both highway-rail grade crossings and nongrade crossing accidents. Railroad only total includes passengers on trains killed in nongrade crossing accidents. It also includes railroad workers (including contractors), other nontrespassers, and trespassers killed in train accidents, whether on or off the train, except at grade crossings. Data include both freight and passenger railroad operations.
| Railroad | Jul-00 | Jul-01 |
|---|---|---|
| Rail fatalities | 96 | 88 |
| Rail fatalities percent change from same month previous year | 9.09 | -8.33 |
| Highway-rail fatalities | 45 | 37 |
| Highway-rail fatalities percent change from same month previous year | 50.00 | -17.78 |
SOURCE: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety, available at: http://safetydata.fra.dot.gov/officeofsafety