Most people are used to hearing about car accidents and the various causes of these deadly incidents, so it may come as a surprise to many of our readers that train accidents are also the cause of thousands of injuries each year. But just how many injuries and fatalities do train accidents cause?
An organization called Operation Lifesaver, which focuses on rail safety education, keeps track of the statistics regarding train accidents, with information going all the way back to 1981. According to this organization, the number of collisions involving passenger vehicles and trains appears to have been on a pretty steady decline over the last 35 years or so. Back in 1981, there were almost 9,500 of these collisions. Last year, in 2016, there were about 2,000.
That is quite a decrease, which probably resulted from better safety measures being installed at railroad crossings and better railroad regulations. The number of fatalities in these collisions has also been on a pretty steady decline, although there have been occasional spikes in the figures. In 1981, there were 728 fatalities. In 2016, there were 265 fatalities.
Unfortunately, the number of injuries that have occurred in railroad accidents is still significant, although those numbers have also been declining. In 1981, there were almost 3,300 injuries in railroad accidents. By last year, 2016, that number had dropped all the way to 798. Fortunately, the victims of train accidents in Minnesota who have suffered injuries may have legal options to attempt to recover financial compensation.
Source: Operation Lifesaver, “Crossing Collisions & Casualties by Year,” accessed on May 6, 2017