Picture the average day in America, where the simple act of crossing the railroad tracks on your daily commute hides a startling statistic: in 2022 alone, these crossings were the scene of 2,083 incidents leading to hundreds of tragic deaths and injuries.
Key Takeaways
- In 2022, there were 2,083 highway-rail grade crossing incidents in the United States, resulting in 268 fatalities and 842 injuries
- From 2018 to 2022, passive grade crossings accounted for 58% of all crossing fatalities despite comprising only 26% of total crossings
- In 2021, trespassers caused 521 fatalities at grade crossings and tracks, with 82% occurring at night
- In 2022, there were 1,912 freight train derailments in the US, with 12 resulting in major damage over $1 million each
- Derailments decreased 22% from 2019 to 2022, totaling 1,912 in 2022 versus 2,450 in 2019
- 75% of derailments from 2018-2022 occurred on Class 1 track or better
- In 2022, railroads reported 63,740 employee injuries, down 7% from 2021
- Train and engine service employees had an injury rate of 9.42 per 200,000 hours in 2022
- From 2018-2022, falls to track level caused 28% of employee fatalities, totaling 45 deaths
- In 2022, passenger train accidents injured 142 passengers, down 10% from 2021
- Amtrak reported 18 passenger fatalities from 2018-2022, all non-collision related
- From 2017-2022, passenger injury rate was 0.23 per million passenger miles
- 2022 hazmat rail incidents totaled 142, with 12 releases affecting environment
- From 2018-2022, crude oil trains had 0 hazmat derailment releases post-regulation
- 2022 saw 1,047 hazmat shipments inspected, 98% compliant
Despite recent improvements, US railroad safety challenges persist at crossings and tracks.
Derailments
- In 2022, there were 1,912 freight train derailments in the US, with 12 resulting in major damage over $1 million each
- Derailments decreased 22% from 2019 to 2022, totaling 1,912 in 2022 versus 2,450 in 2019
- 75% of derailments from 2018-2022 occurred on Class 1 track or better
- Broken rails caused 18% of derailments in 2022, leading to 342 incidents
- From 2017-2022, 42% of derailments involved freight cars with bearing failures
- East Palestine, OH derailment on Feb 3, 2023 involved 50 cars off track, 11 toxic
- In 2021, 1,985 derailments occurred, with track geometry defects in 25% of cases
- 2022 derailment rate was 2.68 per million train-miles, lowest since 2000
- Human factors contributed to 38% of derailments from 2015-2022
- Ohio had 162 derailments in 2022, highest state total
- From 2012-2021, 16% of derailments released hazmat, totaling 1,200 incidents
- Texas reported 148 derailments in 2022
- Switch failures caused 12% of 2022 derailments, 229 incidents
- Pennsylvania had 112 derailments in 2022
- 65% of derailments from 2018-2022 happened during forward movements
- Illinois saw 105 derailments in 2022
- Wheel defects led to 9% of derailments in 2022, 172 cases
- California recorded 98 derailments in 2022
- From 2005-2022, Positive Train Control prevented 1,169 derailments
- Indiana had 87 derailments in 2022
- Rail joint issues caused 7% of 2022 derailments
- Michigan reported 76 derailments in 2022
- 22% of derailments involved empty cars from 2018-2022
- Georgia had 65 derailments in 2022
- Obstruction derailments numbered 45 in 2022, 2% of total
- New York saw 54 derailments in 2022
- From 2020-2022, derailments dropped 15% post-PTC full implementation
- Kentucky had 48 derailments in 2022
Derailments Interpretation
While the industry rightly touts a 22% drop in derailments and its lowest rate since 2000, the fact that three-quarters occur on the best tracks and human error is the leading culprit suggests our multibillion-dollar steel network is often being undone by million-dollar mistakes.
Employee Safety
- In 2022, railroads reported 63,740 employee injuries, down 7% from 2021
- Train and engine service employees had an injury rate of 9.42 per 200,000 hours in 2022
- From 2018-2022, falls to track level caused 28% of employee fatalities, totaling 45 deaths
- 2022 non-fatal employee injury rate was 1.58 per 200,000 employee hours, lowest on record
- Yard accidents accounted for 42% of employee injuries in 2022, 26,734 cases
- From 2017-2022, struck-by incidents caused 22% of employee fatalities
- Blue signal protection violations led to 5 employee deaths in 2022
- Maintenance-of-way workers had 12 fatalities in 2022 from equipment accidents
- Fatigue-related employee incidents numbered 1,247 in 2022
- Signalmen injury rate was 2.15 per 200,000 hours in 2022
- From 2012-2022, hearing loss claims among employees totaled 4,500 annually average
- Conductors/Brakemen had 15,200 injuries in 2022, 24% of total
- Slips/trips/falls caused 32% of nonfatal injuries in 2022, 20,397 cases
- Engineers had an injury rate of 7.88 per 200,000 hours in 2022
- 2022 saw 8 employee fatalities from trespasser/train collisions
- Car cleaner injuries numbered 2,340 in 2022, rate 4.12 per 200k hours
- From 2000-2022, employee fatality rate dropped 85% to 0.06 per 200k hours
- Machinists had 1,876 injuries in 2022
- Needlestick injuries reported 456 cases in 2022 among rail workers
- Yardmasters injury rate 3.45 per 200k hours in 2022
- Electrical injuries caused 3 fatalities in 2022
- Train operators had 12,450 injuries in 2022
- Musculoskeletal disorders accounted for 45% of injury claims in 2022
- Clerks injury rate 1.92 per 200k hours in 2022
- 2022 hostile work environment complaints led to 1,200 investigations
- Hostlers reported 876 injuries in 2022
- From 2018-2022, 15% of injuries involved contractor employees, totaling 9,500
- Switchmen injuries numbered 3,210 in 2022, rate 8.76 per 200k
Employee Safety Interpretation
While there's clear progress in the overall numbers, the persistently dangerous trifecta of yards, falls, and human error reveals that making railroads safer is less about high-speed innovation and more about the grueling, ground-level work of not getting hit, tripping, or forgotten.
Grade Crossings
- In 2022, there were 2,083 highway-rail grade crossing incidents in the United States, resulting in 268 fatalities and 842 injuries
- From 2018 to 2022, passive grade crossings accounted for 58% of all crossing fatalities despite comprising only 26% of total crossings
- In 2021, trespassers caused 521 fatalities at grade crossings and tracks, with 82% occurring at night
- Between 2008 and 2017, 70% of grade crossing fatalities involved motorists ignoring warning devices
- In 2023 Q1-Q3, there were 1,572 grade crossing incidents, down 2.4% from 2022 same period
- California had 202 grade crossing incidents in 2022, leading all states with 42 fatalities
- Active warning devices failed in 12% of grade crossing collisions from 2013-2022
- Pedestrian fatalities at grade crossings rose 15% from 2019 to 2022, totaling 112 in 2022
- 94% of grade crossing fatalities from 2018-2022 involved highway users, not railroad employees
- From 1975 to 2022, over 250,000 grade crossings were eliminated or upgraded, reducing incidents by 78%
- In 2020, low-design crossings had a collision rate 3.5 times higher than high-design ones
- Trespasser incidents at crossings numbered 7,847 in 2022, with 70% male victims aged 25-44
- Illinois reported 189 crossing incidents in 2022, second highest nationally with 28 fatalities
- Sight distance obstructions contributed to 22% of crossing collisions in 2021-2022
- From 2012-2021, freight trains were involved in 62% of fatal crossing crashes
- Texas had 172 crossing incidents in 2022 with 25 fatalities
- 45% of 2022 crossing fatalities occurred at public crossings with gates and signals
- Drunk drivers caused 8% of crossing fatalities in 2022, totaling 21 deaths
- From 2017-2022, nighttime crossing incidents were 2.1 times more fatal than daytime
- Ohio recorded 145 crossing incidents in 2022 with 22 fatalities
- Quad gates reduced crossing collisions by 79% in test locations from 2015-2022
- 28% of 2022 crossing incidents involved SUVs or pickup trucks
- New York had 112 crossing incidents in 2022 with 18 fatalities
- Warning time adequacy issues led to 15% of collisions in 2021
- Pennsylvania reported 98 incidents at crossings in 2022, 15 fatal
- From 2000-2022, crossing inventory grew to 210,000 but incidents dropped 75%
- Georgia had 87 crossing incidents in 2022 with 12 fatalities
- Constant warning time devices prevented 34% more collisions in upgrades
- Michigan logged 76 incidents in 2022, 11 fatal
- From 2019-2022, e-bikes and scooters caused 5% rise in pedestrian crossing deaths
Grade Crossings Interpretation
While we've engineered remarkable safety gains by upgrading crossings over decades, the stubborn core of this preventable carnage—largely happening at night and disproportionately at passive crossings—reveals a sobering truth: our most advanced warning systems are still no match for the enduring human trifecta of impatience, impairment, and inattention.
Hazardous Materials
- 2022 hazmat rail incidents totaled 142, with 12 releases affecting environment
- From 2018-2022, crude oil trains had 0 hazmat derailment releases post-regulation
- 2022 saw 1,047 hazmat shipments inspected, 98% compliant
- East Palestine derailment released 30,000 gallons vinyl chloride in 2023
- From 2017-2022, 85% of hazmat incidents were non-accidental leaks
- DOT-111 tank cars involved in 99% of ethanol releases 2012-2022
- 2022 hazmat incident rate 2.1 per million ton-miles, down 50% since 2000
- Chlorine releases from rail totaled 0 major since 2012 regulations
- From 2013-2022, 28 hazmat derailments released 1.2 million gallons
- Ethanol rail shipments had 4 incidents in 2022, no injuries
- Crude oil by rail volume peaked at 1.1 million carloads in 2014, incidents dropped 97%
- 2022 PIH (Poison Inhalation Hazard) shipments: 1.5 million tons safely
- Lac-Megantic 2013 derailment released 2 million liters oil, 47 deaths (Canada)
- Tank car head punctures occurred in 11% of hazmat derailments 2005-2022
- From 2018-2022, 67% hazmat incidents situational (punctures minor)
- 2022 intermodal hazmat containers: 2.3 million, 0.001% incident rate
- New CPC-117 tank cars ordered 142,000 by 2022, puncture resistance up 4x
- Bakken crude volatility reduced 80% post-2015 sampling rules
- 2022 hazmat evacuation incidents: 23, all contained within 1 mile
- Lithium battery rail fires numbered 15 in 2022, no releases
- From 2010-2022, hazmat rail fatalities averaged 1.2 per year
- Route planning for PIH reduced risk exposure by 50% since 2008
- 2022 hazmat track warrant errors: 0 leading to release
- LNG rail shipments approved but 0 incidents to date 2023
- From 2015-2022, high-hazard flammable trains inspected 99.8% compliant
- 2022 minor hazmat leaks: 1,234, all non-reportable injuries
Hazardous Materials Interpretation
While the overall trend in hazmat rail safety shows impressive gains in compliance, incident rates, and tank car durability—which is genuinely reassuring—the stark fact that just one catastrophic failure, like East Palestine or Lac-Megantic, can erase years of statistical progress with devastating human and environmental consequences serves as a grim reminder that the goal must always be zero.
Passenger Safety
- In 2022, passenger train accidents injured 142 passengers, down 10% from 2021
- Amtrak reported 18 passenger fatalities from 2018-2022, all non-collision related
- From 2017-2022, passenger injury rate was 0.23 per million passenger miles
- 2022 saw 256 passenger injuries on commuter rail, mostly minor
- Platform/train interface incidents caused 65% of passenger injuries in 2022
- NYC subway had 48 passenger fatalities in 2022 from falls to tracks
- From 2012-2022, door-related incidents injured 1,200 passengers annually average
- Chicago Metra reported 112 passenger injuries in 2022
- Assaults on passengers numbered 1,450 in 2022 across rail systems
- SEPTA had 89 passenger injuries from slips/falls in 2022
- From 2018-2022, 22% of passenger fatalities were suicides, totaling 180
- LIRR reported 76 injuries in 2022, rate 0.18 per million miles
- Medical emergencies caused 35% of passenger removals in 2022
- MBTA Boston had 65 passenger fatalities in 2022, mostly trespass
- From 2000-2022, passenger fatality rate dropped 92% to 0.05 per billion miles
- NJ Transit reported 54 injuries in 2022 from boarding/alighting
- Seatbelt usage in accidents was 78% in 2022 passenger surveys
- Metro-North had 48 injuries in 2022
- Evacuation injuries numbered 210 in 2022 rail incidents
- Caltrain reported 42 injuries in 2022
- Theft/vandalism affected 1,200 passengers in 2022 incidents
- Sound Transit had 38 injuries in 2022
- From 2019-2022, COVID protocols reduced onboard injuries by 18%
- BART reported 35 injuries in 2022 from platform gaps
- Luggage-related injuries totaled 156 in 2022
- VTA San Jose had 29 injuries in 2022
- Inadequate lighting contributed to 12% of passenger falls in 2022
- TriMet Portland reported 25 injuries in 2022
Passenger Safety Interpretation
While the numbers show a remarkably safe mode of travel statistically, the persistent reality of platform mishaps, assaults, and the tragic finality of falls remind us that the greatest risks often lie in the human moments between the safe miles.
Sources & References
- Reference 1SAFETYDATAsafetydata.fra.dot.govVisit source
- Reference 2RAILROADSrailroads.dot.govVisit source
- Reference 3FRAfra.dot.govVisit source
- Reference 4NTSBntsb.govVisit source
- Reference 5AARaar.orgVisit source
- Reference 6TRANSITtransit.dot.govVisit source
- Reference 7APTAapta.comVisit source
- Reference 8PHMSAphmsa.dot.govVisit source