[Study] Train Accident Deaths

America’s railways are a fundamental aspect of transportation for passengers and commercial goods. Over 500 million passengers were moved by railway in 2024 alone, and an average of 1.5 billion tons of goods are transported by rail each year.

The American train and railroad system is considered to be one of the safest in the world, however, it is not immune to incidents. Train accidents are commonplace resulting in hundreds of fatalities to railway passengers, employees, and road users every year. 

In this study, we analyzed the last 10 years of accident data from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DoT) to reveal the ongoing safety challenges faced by the industry. If you’ve been involved in an accident with a train, contact the Las Vegas personal injury lawyers at Koch & Brim today. 

Annual Railroad Death Statistics

Included in this dataset are all railroad related fatalities resulting from train accidents, collisions, derailments, trespassing, suicides, assault, and more. 

Between 2015 and 2024, there were a total of 8,407 train and railroad deaths. On average, there are 841 train deaths per year. In the 10-year scope of this study, the deadliest year was 2024 with 981 fatalities. Deaths have trended upward with a 24% increase from 2015 to 2024.  

How Often Are Passengers Killed in Train Accidents?

Passengers are rarely killed in train accidents. Despite transporting over 5 billion passengers, there were only 24 passenger deaths resulting from train accidents or crossing accidents. 

That’s 1 passenger death for every 221 million passengers transported.

Train Employee Deaths and Injuries

Railway and train employees accounted for 1% of the data with 108 deaths. Employees on duty suffered 35,698 non-fatal injuries. On average, train employees suffer 3,569.8 injuries per year.  

Deaths at Rail Crossings

A significant portion of train and railroad deaths occur at highway-rail crossings. Included in this data are collisions between trains and highway users such as cars, buses, trucks, motorcycles, bicycles, farm vehicles, pedestrians, and all other modes of surface transportation motorized and un-motorized.

Between 2015 and 2024, there were 4,083 deaths at railroad crossings with an average of 408 deaths per year. 

During a railroad crossing accident, those involved in the crash are much more likely to die if they are outside the train. Trains travel through crossings at rates of speed up to 110mph. Some areas lack active warning signals when a train is approaching, elevating the risk of an accident.

Types of Train Accidents

The U.S. railroad system is unique in that the majority of the network is owned and operated by private freight companies. The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) regulates safety standards and ensures compliance through inspections and enforcement, while the Surface Transportation Board oversees economic matters such as railroad rates, mergers and sales, and service disputes.

Although private rail companies are responsible for implementing safety protocols and maintaining rail infrastructure, they must do so in accordance with the regulations set by the FRA. Despite this level of federal oversight, accidents continue to occur. 

Excluding railroad crossings, derailments are the number one cause of train accidents, followed by human error.

Sources

For this study, data was sourced from the Rail Safety Overview Report issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation from January 2015 to December 2024.

• https://data.transportation.gov/stories/s/dsuf-xcni

Report of Fatal Train Accidents (2015-2024)