SAFE RAILWAYS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 38, 13 August 1935, Page 10

SAFE RAILWAYS

RECORD IN BRITAIN

Only one railway passenger in every 96,000,000 carried was killed in train accidents in Great Britain last year, and one in 3,000,000 injured, says the "Daily Telegraph."

The incidence of all casualty (omitting cases of trespass and suicide) in train and movement accidents amounted in 1934 to 0.8 killed and 17 injured per 1,000,000 train miles.

These figures are given in the annual report to the Minister of Transport, made by the Chief Inspecting Officer of Railways.

The number of passengers killed in train accidents in 1934 was 17. The deaths occurred in two accidents, and although the highest since 1928. they compare with an average of 18 for the five-year period 1925-1929.

The number of passengers injured was 537, which is appreciably less than the previous year and below the average for the five years.

In accidents other than train accidents caused by or connected with the movement of railway vehicles 68 passengers were killed and 4349 injured. These casualties, it is stated, were as usual mainly due to misadventure or carelessness on the part of passengers themselves.

The principal causes were: Entering or leaving trains in motion. 21 killed, 1.608 injured: crossing the line at stations, six killed, three injured; opening and closing of carriage doors, 2012 cases of injury, chiefly to fingers; and falling from carriages and platforms, 36 killed, 45 injured.

In 210 accidents at level crossings 31 persons were killed .and 68 injured, including 25 pedestrians, of whom 19 were killed; and six injured. The averages.for the five-year period 1925----1929 were 51 killed and 48 injured.