More than 200 People are Injured by MTA Trains Annually
According to a report from The City, there were 234 incidents of people being hit by MTA trains in 2022, with a total of 88 fatalities. That number has gone up, but it has been at over 200 incidents since 2021. Numbers are not discussed in the article for 2023, but the number of incidents of track trespassing and people riding outside of trains has increased.
Pedestrian accidents of all types can happen even when pedestrians are following all of the rules. If you have been in a pedestrian accident, contact us today for assistance. Otherwise, keep reading to learn more about the trends and causes of MTA accidents.
Causes of MTA Train Accidents
All in all, there were 1,364 instances of track trespassing in 2022, which contributed to the number of people injured by MTA trains. There were also 928 reports of subway surfing in 2022 that can lead to MTA accidents.
MTA train tracks are inaccessible to the general public, but trespassing does occur. In general, pedestrians struck by MTA trains are on tracks or the outside of trains, which is not allowed. When pedestrians follow the rules around MTA tracks and equipment, these accidents can be avoided.
Are There More MTA Train Accidents Now Than Before?
Yes, there are more MTA train accidents occurring every year. There were only 200 incidents of MTA trains striking pedestrians in 2021, and there were only 189 in 2019. Numbers for 2020 are not available due to the pandemic.
Although the number of train accidents is increasing, MTA is reporting a decrease of 30% in the number of track-trespassing incidents over last winter. On the flip side, the number of subway surfing incidents nearly doubled from 2019 to 2022. There is no easy way to predict how trends may continue without intervention.
What is MTA Doing About the Number of Train Accidents?
According to the article from The City, MTA officials are recognizing a long-standing problem getting worse, and they are finally taking action. In truth, action should have been taken sooner, and corrections will take time.
Primarily, MTA is planning to reduce train-pedestrian accidents by:
- Testing platform barriers to determine the most effective
- Using video analytics to predict and prevent dangerous behavior
- Installing front-facing cameras on trains
- Installing track-intrusion detection systems
- Testing platform doors to determine the most effective
Unfortunately, MTA does not have the funds or resources to implement all off these with every train or station. MTA officials admit that the pricier systems are not feasible for about 75% of their subway stations. However, if they can implement front-facing cameras on every train, perhaps these accidents can be avoided.
Can You Sue for an MTA Train Accident?
A pedestrian trespassing on the tracks, subway surfing, or otherwise acting irresponsibly leading to a train accident will not be able to sue. However, there are many other types of pedestrian accidents in which filing a personal injury claim may be warranted.
If you have been injured in a pedestrian accident, contact The Case Handler today for a free consultation. We have years of experience helping New Yorkers just like you with personal injury cases for pedestrian accidents.
