Light rail accidents in Europe and North America

This report is the result of a study of accidents involving light rail systems in a number of European and North American cities. The aim of the study is to provide a better understanding of the issue of light rail safety, based on overseas experience, in order to inform discussion and aid evaluation of such systems in the United Kingdom. The study draws on statistics of accidents involving light rail vehicles, particularly in cities with a new or substantially new light rail system. Data were obtained from transport operators, local and national authorities and other bodies concerned with road safety. The report compares light rail accident rates with those for buses and other traffic, and breaks down the data to give accident rates by transport corridor, by road user category (passengers, pedestrians and occupants of other vehicles), by severity of injuries and by the degree of segregation from other traffic and pedestrians. It examines the change in the total number of public transport accidents when a light rail system is introduced and the effect of initial unfamiliarity with the system. (A)