Analysis of Passenger Incident Data from Five Rail Transit Systems

Abstract

The study results reported here are part of a larger research project that developed a manual for practitioners to improve safety at rail transit platform/train and platform/guideway interfaces. As part of that effort, passenger injury incident data was collected from five rail transit systems, and interviews were conducted with safety officers at other rail transit systems in the US and Canada. The data collected showed that stairs and escalators and general platform tripping produced more injury incidents than the platform/train and platform/guideway interfaces. Heavy rail transit with platforms that are higher than 24 inches from top of rail had more injury incidents than light rail transit that typically operates on low level platforms. Other causes of injury incidents included intoxication, attempted suicide, and distraction.

Keywords

• platform/train platform/guideway interface
• incidents
• passenger rail safety