Railroad Deaths and Injuries

Railroad deaths totaled 954 in 2022, an 11% increase from the 2021 revised total of 859 and the highest since 2007. Nonfatal injuries totaled 6,252, a 6% increase from the 2021 revised total of 5,882. From 2021 to 2022, fatalities at highway-rail crossings increased 16%, while fatalities involving other types of incidents increased 9%. The latter included 651 deaths (96%) attributed to trespassers. Ten employees were killed while on duty, slightly down from the 2021 total of 11. There were seven train passenger deaths, up from six deaths in 2021.
The ratio of railroad-related deaths to nonfatal injuries and illnesses is about 1:7. In 2022, of the total 954 deaths, 29% occurred at rail-crossings. Of the 3,243 nonfatal occupational railroad injuries and illnesses reported in 2022, 73 were attributed to highway-rail crossing incidents.

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Note: Fatality and injury counts do not include intentional incidents such as suicide.