A 15-Year Review of Railway-Related Deaths in Jefferson County, Alabama

Abstract

A retrospective computer search of the records of the Jefferson County Coroner/Medical Examiner Office covering the 15-year period from 1981 to 1995 revealed 86 cases in which either a train caused death or in which a body was found dead by the tracks. The average age of the decedents was 39 years (range, 3 weeks-87 years). Men accounted for 88% of the deaths. The manners of death were as follows: three natural, 64 accident, seven suicide, six homicide, and six undetermined. Six decedents were found dead by the tracks, but death was not caused by a train. Six decedents were railroad employees who died on the job. In 47 cases, the decedents were trespassing on railroad property. Five trespassers were riding the rails, and 42 were pedestrians struck by a train. Motor vehicle collisions with trains claimed 27 lives--19 drivers and eight passengers. All together, 45% of the decedents were intoxicated. Intoxication was greatest by far in individuals witnessed to have been lying on the tracks before being hit by a train. The nature of individuals riding the rails has changed in the past few decades. Freight trains today are being used by illegal immigrants as transportation within the United States. The majority of traffic fatalities occurred because the driver intentionally tried to beat the train to the crossing. These drivers were seldom intoxicated, and only two were teenagers. Lives of such impatient drivers might be spared by the installation of a crossing guard-rail that cannot be circumvented.

Patterns of Suicide and Other Trespassing Fatalities on State-Owned Railways in Greater Stockholm; Implications for Prevention

“…Sex and age distributions are also similar to other studies [1,5,9,11,12,13]. Most victims, in both categories, are men and usually middle-aged in suicides while younger in accidents.…”

“…Several studies describe the frequency and characteristics of railway suicide in different countries [5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12,13], but only few of them explore systems-oriented preventative possibilities in more detail [14,15], mostly with reference to underground systems [16,17]. Our findings on victims awaiting trains on site and the nearness between place of occurrence and place of residence are in line with findings from other studies [5].…”

Train-related suicides in Milan, Italy: analysis of cases 1993-2008

“…In the often arduous reconstruction of the circumstances leading up to the event and the medico-legal differential diagnosis between suicide, homicide, accident or running over of a corpse, the evidence gathered at the scene and during the autopsy is of utmost importance (Murphy, 1976;Messina, 1992;Cina et al, 1994;Davis et al, 1997;Lerer and Matzopoulos, 1997;Cicognani and Landuzzi, 1998;Ventura et al, 2004;De Giorgio et al, 2006;Mohanty et al, 2007;Zoja et al, in press).…”

Young drivers at railway crossings: an exploration of risk perception and target behaviours for intervention

“…For example, in addition to well-documented automated protection devices, e.g. lights and bells (Ward & Wilde, 1995), the installation of well-known techniques such as crossing guard-rails that cannot be circumvented may prove fruitful (Davis et al, 1997). Additionally, advanced warning and advisory signage for passive railway crossings have recently received favourably reviews (Ward & Wilde, 1995;Austin & Carson, 2002) and such countermeasures may further be enhanced if combined with emerging intelligent transportation initiatives.…”

“…More specifically, some risk-taking behaviours may occur due to a distorted sense of risk perception, as research has demonstrated that railway vehicle fatalities may be linked to drivers intentionally trying to beat the train to the crossing (Davis, Alexander & Brissie, 1997). This may be seen to occur when young drivers knowingly engage in what amounts to dangerous behaviour, mistakenly assuming it to be low risk.…”