Table 2-32: Transit Safety Data by Mode^a for All Reported Accidents^b

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^a Accident statistics for cable car, inclined plane, jitney, and ferry boat are not available. The number of incidents, fatalities, and injuries for these modes appear in the footnotes for table 2-33.

^b Accidents include collisions with vehicles, objects, people (except suicides), and derailments/vehicles going off road.

^c Motor bus also includes trolley bus.

^d Rates are based on total incidents including accidents and were calculated by dividing the number of fatalities, injuries, and incidents in this table by the number of vehicle-miles.

^eThe drop in the number of accidents and injuries is due largely to a change in definitions by the Federal Transit Administration, particularly the definition of injuries. Only injuries requiring immediate medical treatment away from the scene now qualify as reportable. Previously, any injury was reportable. Commuter rail data are now derived from the Federal Railroad Administration's Rail Accident Incident Reporting System (RAIRS).

NOTES

Data are provided only for transit systems that furnished safety data for inclusion in the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration Transit Safety and Security Statistics and Analysis annual reports. Data covers only direct-operated urban transit systems. Vehicle-miles for all transit systems including nonurban and purchased can be found in the vehicle-miles table in chapter 1.

Prior to the 2000 edition, Transit Safety and Security Statistics and Analysis Report was entitled Safety Management Information Statistics (SAMIS) annual report.

Analysts for the FTA believe the change in reporting requirements in 2002 may have resulted in unreliable data in that year, particularly for injuries and accidents. The reliability of reporting is believed to be much better in 2003 and is expected to improve in the future.

SOURCE

U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Transit Administration, 2002 Safety and Security Statistics, personal communications, Oct. 8, 2004 and Apr. 22, 2005.