Office of Operations Freight Management and Operations

Freight Facts and Figures 2013

Table 5-3. Accidents by Freight Transportation Mode: 1980, 1990, and 2000–2012 (Historical)

Table in Excel format

Blank cell. 1980 1990 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012
Highway (passenger and freight) NA 6,471,000 6,394,000 6,323,000 6,316,000 6,328,000 6,181,000 6,159,000 5,973,000 6,024,000 5,811,000 5,505,000 5,419,000 5,338,000 NA
Large truck1 NA 371,801 437,861 409,355 416,467 436,128 399,096 423,016 367,920 413,000 380,000 296,000 276,000 287,000 NA
Large truck1 (percent of total) NA 5.7 6.8 6.5 6.6 6.9 6.5 6.9 6.2 6.9 6.5 5.4 5.1 5.4 NA
Rail (passenger and freight)
Highway-rail grade crossing2,3 (R) 10,612 5,715 3,502 3,237 3,077 2,977 3,085 3,066 2,942 2,777 2,431 1,932 2,027 (R) 2,060 1,967
Railroad2,4 8,205 2,879 2,983 3,023 2,738 3,019 3,385 3,266 3,000 2,694 2,478 1,910 1,902 (R) 2,022 1,739
Waterborne (passenger and freight)
Vessel-related 4,624 3,613 5,403 4,958 5,923 4,968 4,755 5,006 5,419 (R) 5,582 5,599 5,475 5,434 6,381 NA
Pipeline5
Hazardous liquid pipeline 246 140 (R) 146 (R) 130 (R) 459 (R) 434 (R) 377 (R) 369 (R) 354 (R) 332 (R) 375 (R) 342 (R) 350 (R) 346 364
Gas pipeline 1,524 290 (R) 234 (R) 211 (R) 184 (R) 238 (R) 295 (R) 351 (R) 286 (R) 283 (R) 286 (R) 289 (R) 241 (R) 247 204

Key: NA = not available; R = revised.

1Large trucks are defined as trucks over the 10,000 pound gross vehicle weight rating, including single-unit trucks and truck tractors.

2Includes Amtrak.

3Includes both accidents and incidents. Most highway-rail grade crossing accidents are also counted under highway.

4Train accidents only.

5In 2002, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration lowered the threshold for determining incidents for volume released from 50 barrels to 5 gallons, resulting in a significant increase in the number of pipeline incidents reported.

Sources:

Total: U.S. Department of Transportation, Research and Innovative Technology Administration, Bureau of Transportation Statistics, National Transportation Statistics, available at www.bts.gov as of October 4, 2013.

Highway: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics and Analysis, Traffic Safety facts, Large Trucks (annual issues). 2008-2010: U.S. Department of Transportation, National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, National Center for Statistics and Analysis, Traffic Safety Facts - Highlights (annual issues).

Railroad: U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of Safety Analysis, available at safetydata.fra.dot.gov/officeofsafety/default.asp as of October 4, 2013.

Waterborne: U.S. Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Coast Guard, Data Administration Division, personal communication, September 6, 2011.

Pipeline: U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Pipeline Safety Program, Pipeline Library, available at http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/PipelineLibrary.htm as of October 4, 2012.

 


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