The Volpe Center has used three sources of data—the Federal Railroad Administration’s required accident reports, locomotive video, and U.S. Census data—to investigate common risk factors for railroad trespassing incidents, the leading cause of rail-related deaths in the U.S. Risk factors found include (1) a disregard for grade crossing warning signs, (2) trespasser intoxication, (3) use of distracting electronic devices, and (4) right-of-way proximity to stations, bridges, and rail yards. This research report offers several suggestions for improved data availability to support future studies.
One of the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA) primary safety concerns is trespassing on railway rights-of-way. Some trespasser events end as fa...
The Volpe Center has investigated law enforcement methods that have successfully prevented trespassing along the railroad right of way. The types of l...
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United States Department of Transportation
[PDF-1.52 MB]
