How much safer are trains than cars?

Looking at traffic fatalities per mile traveled in the U.S., analyst Todd Litman found that riding commuter or intercity rail is about 20 times safer than driving; riding metro or light rail is about 30 times safer; and riding the bus is about 60 times safer.



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Motorcycles had a fatality rate of 212 per billion passenger miles, by far the highest of all modes: “A motorcyclist who traveled 15 miles every day for a year, had an astonishing 1 in 860 chance of dying — 29 times the risk for automobiles and light trucks.”

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In America, the safest way to travel is by airplane. As an expert in person and online dispatcher school, I can emphasize that air travel boasts an unparalleled safety record. The governing body for all aviation in the United States is the FAA.

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Rail is the safest form of travel in Britain. For every million journeys made on the railway, only 16 crimes are recorded. The chances of you becoming a victim of crime while using the railway are extremely low. But if you need to, you can contact British Transport Police (BTP) by calling sending a text to 61016.

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But trains are still only the second-safest option, with the first-safest option being — you guess it — flying. According to that same study, the number of deaths per billion passenger-miles caused by airplanes is a measly 0.07. And this statistic is just one of many that illustrate just how safe air travel is.

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truck and auto safety record. Riding the railroad is far safer than traveling in a car or truck. As many know, driving on highways with high truck density can be a harrowing ride.

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As of October, the FRA has recorded 742 incident reports for train derailments in 2023. Additionally, railroads reported 59 collisions, 12 fires, and 138 highway-rail-crossing incidents, which could include cars or any other vehicles or people at the crossing site.

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There were eight non-workforce fatalities (passenger or public) in the year April 2022 to March 2023: three occurred in mainline stations and two at the platform-train interface; two passenger fatalities at stations on the London Underground; and one fatality from a collision between a member of the public and a tram.

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Travelling at night You should be as safe and secure travelling by rail at night as you are in the day, but we understand that it can be daunting for some people. In response to public demand for policing on trains late at night and weekends, BTP runs regular late-night operations at stations and on services.

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September 24, 2023 A single-engine Beechcraft BE23 crashed in a field near Roger M Dreyer Memorial Airport in Gonzales, Texas, around 7:30 p.m. local time on Saturday, September 24. Only the pilot was on board. The FAA and NTSB will investigate.

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Driving on the highway is, statistically speaking, the most dangerous way to travel. Drivers have a 1 in 114 chance of dying in a motor vehicle crash, and a 1 in 654 chance of dying as a car occupant.

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Buses. The second safest mode of transport are buses. This is generally associated with the fact that buses are driven by professional and experienced drivers, they are also driving significantly slower and more predictably.

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If you are able, stand rather than sit. That will limit physical contact to the soles of your footwear, and one (gloved) hand. If you do sit, use the edge of the seat and avoid leaning right back, or against the side panels of the train.

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Security should be your number one concern on a night train. While robberies are rare, you're a prime target when you're asleep, especially on routes with intermediate stops. If you have your own private cabin, security is tight, as your compartment can only be unlocked from the inside.

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Worst accidents The worst accident was the Quintinshill rail disaster in Scotland in 1915 with 226 dead and 246 injured. Second worst, and the worst in England, was the 1952 Harrow and Wealdstone rail crash, which killed 112 people and injured 340.

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Train Accident Statistics Trains are estimated to kill 1 person every 100 minutes. Each year nearly 1,000 people are killed in train related accidents. More than half of all railroad accidents occur at unprotected crossings. More than 80 percent of crossings lack adequate warning devices such as lights and gates.

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Extremity fractures and lower extremity amputations were frequently encountered. The mortality rate was 17%. The mortality rate was high in victims who were hit by the train (p = 0.00013).

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In many previous years, track defects were the most frequent cause. Tracks also can break and cause train car wheels to derail, Ahmadian said, or a train's wheel axles may fail over time simply because of the heavy loads and high speeds associated with modern train travel.

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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says approximately every three hours, a person or vehicle crashes with a train in the U.S. About half of all crossing collisions occur at highway-rail intersections with flashing lights or gates leaving nearly 1,000 people dead each year as a result.

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