Train wrecks keep US on safety track for world’s lowest fatality rate

A string of spectacular, deadly train crashes around the globe has raised fresh questions about the safety of rail travel in the U.S. and abroad, and federal regulators have implemented new rules based on one of those accidents. But a look at the safety records of America’s railroads shows that fiery derailments, collisions and other fatal incidents — like those in Spain, Canada, France and elsewhere in recent weeks — are increasingly rare. “The record speaks for itself. Having said that, you want to look at every event and review it to see what you can learn from it,” said Peter Goelz, former managing director at the National Transportation Safety Board. “There is no question that [federal officials] are paying close attention to all of these accidents.” U.S. train accidents declined by 43 percent from 3,019 in 2004 to 1,734 in 2012, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. While classified as “accidents,” many of those incidents were minor and resulted in no deaths or injuries. The railroad administration last year reported 701 railway-related deaths, the vast majority of which involved pedestrians being struck at crossings or cars smashing into trains. Nine people died last year as a direct result of “train accidents,” a definition that includes events such as derailments or train collisions, though those numbers do not include light rail or subways such as the Washington area’s Metro system