Authors: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Date of Publication:  September 1985

Sponsoring Agency:  U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Performing Organization:  U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB)

Report No: NTSB/SS-85/05

Abstract:

The National Transportation Safety Board has had a longstanding objective to improve safety at railroad/highway grade crossings. From 1976 to 1984, the Safety Board investigated 161 railroad/highway grade crossing accidents. These accidents resulted in 168 fatalities, 457 injuries, and estimated property damage in excess of $43.2 million. As a result of these investigations, the Board has issued 151 Safety Recommendations to Federal and State agencies, railroads, and safety-related organizations, urging both general and site-specific grade crossing safety improvements. Accidents at grade crossings continue to produce the largest single group of fatalities and injuries that result from railroad operations. Railroad data reported to the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for calendar years 1979 through 1983 indicate that progress has been made by Federal, State, and local agencies, by railroads, and by public and private safety organizations in reducing (by approximately 30 percent) the loss of life and injuries from these accidents. However, preliminary 1984 data provided to the Safety Board by the FRA indicate that the downward trend in fatalities, injuries, and accidents may be reversing. In 1983, there were 6,562 reported accidents, 542 fatalities, and 2,467 injuries. In 1984, there were an estimated 7,281 reported accidents, 649 fatalities, and 2,910 injuries. Thus, accidents increased 10.9 percent, fatalities increased 19.7 percent, and injuries increased 17.9 percent from 1983 to 1984.
 

No. of Pages:  68