Czech rail accidents in 2011 most fatal from 2003 - statistics

Prague - The number of serious and tragic accidents on Czech railways in 2011 increased and claimed 277 lives, the biggest number from 2003 when the Rail Inspection was established, its spokesman Martin Drapal said today.

He said the biggest number of people died in encounters with a train.

The number of accidents involving public transport trolleybuses and trams also rose.

On the contrary, the number of accidents on level crossings was the lowest from 2003 and the number of their victims also decreased.

"According to the preliminary statistics, the Rail Inspection registered 3797 rail accidents in 2011, which is a record low from 2003, but the number of the most serious accidents rose," Drapal said.

He said the average of six serious accidents on the rails in 2007-2010 rose to 16 in 2011, which is an increase of almost 300 percent.

Drapal said every 13th accident claimed a life in 2011 compared with every 17th accident in previous years.

According to the Rail Inspection only one in five people survive the encounter with a train, Drapal said.

He said the decrease in the number of accidents on railway levels in 2011 is a good piece of news. The 189 accidents were the lowest number from 2003. They claimed 33 lives. A lower number of dead, 31, was only registered in 2007, Drapal said.

Author: CTK
www.ctk.cz

Capturetr
yakamoz01 friend