Railway Accidents in 2017

22.02.2018

Last year, SŽDC

From a total of 1,012 incidents, four marked as a serious accident such as collisions or derailment of railway vehicles resulting to death, health injury of at least five persons or damage of substantial size. Other 421 events were marked as accidents with the remaining 587 cases being marked in the category referred to newly as incidents.

The trains (railway vehicles) collisions statistics come out positively by keeping average figures of recent years, when single cases only were always involved. Five such events in total were recorded last year. For railway vehicles derailment in motion, a downward trend continued as well. For the whole of last year, there were eight such derailments recorded with them being the lowest figure achieved for the last seven years. Unfortunately, the column indicating trains obstacle collisions amounting to a total of 151 cases shows the highest figure recorded from 2013. The same is applicable for 76 derailments in shunting last year.

Trains driven through beyond no entry signals represent a separate chapter. A final total of 126 cases represent a five-year maximum. Up to four exclusions, they always included a misconduct of carriers' employees. In terms of specific type of signals, 48 exit signals, 32 route signals and 23 shunting signals were driven through beyond no entry signal. The most common reason for a total of 47 cases was a vehicle failure in bringing it to a halt with the reason of 37 cases being marked as a failure in abiding shunting signal.

Accident statistics show further 160 collisions on level crossings with neither one being committed within SŽDC′s liability. As in previous years, most of them, particularly 74, were committed last year on level crossings secured by light signalization as well. A number of 63 collisions were recorded on crossings equipped by St. Andrew's cross boards. Other 22 accidents were committed by drivers on crossings equipped by light signalization and barrier beams. A total of 34 persons died in these events, which is less by 10 than two years ago. At the same time, it turns out from statistics that 14 died persons were apparently acting with suicide intent. A number of injured amounting to 81 persons, however, is showed less positive as it increased year on year by 15.

As in previous years, a majority among 237 fatalities on railways was comprised of those acting in suicide intent. A total of 203 persons ended their life deliberately; other 25 are listed among injured persons amounting to a total of 209.

Calculating a total material damage showed a decrease of four million Czech crowns down to 178.8 million. Driving of an electric multiple-unit train 480 through a route signal into a dead-end track buffer stop in June at Přerov Station was the most serious accident last year from several points of view. In addition to material damage amounting to 30 million Czech crowns, an injury of three rail employees aboard and other 16 passengers occurred. An imaginary second place was reached by a freight car derailment between Libčice nad Vltavou and Kralupy nad Vltavou on 1 December. A wagon with a broken axle drove in derailed position another 1.8 km long section causing a damage of railway superstaructure thereon. The resulting damage exceeded 10 million Czech crowns.

Illegal Vehicles Driving Beyond No Entry Signals in 2013 - 2017