California train-car fatalities jump

WASHINGTON, D.C.
March 22, 2007 10:31am

Last year 36 people were killed in collisions between trains and vehicles in California -– a 63 percent increase over the year before, according to figures from the Federal Railroad Administration.

The total is second only to Texas, which saw 42 people killed in highway-railroad grade crossing accidents.

Overall, however, 2006 was a safer year for railroads in the state, the FRA says.

Total train accidents in California fell 12 percent during 2006 as compared to the previous year.

"This accomplishment is even more impressive considering rail traffic was at its highest point in history in 2006,” says Edward Hamberger, president and CEO of the Association of American Railroads, a lobbying group for the industry. “Quite simply, we moved more freight, with fewer accidents.”

Last year was the safest year on record for railroad employees in terms of both injury and fatality numbers and rates. FRA data showed that human error – the leading cause of all train accidents – declined 20.2 percent.

Since 1980, the rail industry says it has reduced accident rates by 70 percent and employee injury rates by 81 percent. Over that same time, the grade crossing collision rate has fallen 76 percent, it says.