AAR touts rail safety improvements

Newly released 2024 data from the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) confirm that continued investments in innovation, infrastructure and workforce expertise are making rail transportation safer, the Association of American Railroads announced yesterday.

Railroads continue to make strides to improve employee safety with Class Is setting in 2024 a second consecutive all-time record-low rate of injuries and fatalities, AAR officials said in a press release. Moreover, the train accident rate declined for all railroads by 33% since 2005 and 15% year-over-year, they said.

“A relentless safety culture and sustained private investments continue to make railroads safer for both the communities they serve and the dedicated rail employees who keep the industry moving,” said AAR President and CEO Ian Jefferies. “Railroads remain focused on an even safer future, and 2024 results demonstrate real progress.”

 According to AAR, employee safety achievements include the following:

• Industry-wide, the rate of injuries and fatalities declined 27% since 2005, while the Class I rate fell 46%, an all-time low record for the second consecutive year; and

• Railroads continue to drive to reduce on-duty fatalities with a 64% improvement since 2005 and employee fatalities averaging less than 10 over the past 5 years.

Also according to AAR, the 2024 rail safety performance data (per million train miles) indicates:

• Derailment rates industry-wide improved 40% since 2005, making 2024 the second-lowest year on record;

• Overall, the mainline accident rate fell 37% since 2005, with Class I rates improving by 43% for the same period; and

• Train accident causes saw significant improvements across the board with human factor-related incidents declining 18% year-over-year and track-caused accidents at an all-time low.

Despite many safety gains, grade crossing and trespassing accidents remain the leading causes of rail-related injuries and fatalities, accounting for over 95% of all incidents, AAR officials said. While the total number of public crossings has declined by 12% since 2005 and the percentage of crossings equipped with gates increased from 26% to 45%, the grade crossing accident rate improved just 4% over the period, underscoring the critical need for further action.

Programs like the Grade Crossing Elimination Program and Section 130 provide essential funding that enables communities to build grade separations, close crossings and upgrade warnings systems. Continued investments in those programs are vital to reducing risk across the nation, AAR officials said.