RAILROAD ACCIDENTS: A METROPOLITAN EXPERIENCE OF DEATH AND INJURY

A review of railroad-related and significant injuries that occurred in a medium-sized metropolitan area from January 1, 1979, to June 30, 1986, was conducted. Autopsy reports were obtained for each fatality, and pre-hospital data were retrieved for all railroad-related injuries resulting in emergency medical services dispatch. There were 10 fatalities and 31 survivors. The average age was 31.2 years. Thirty-seven (90%) were men. Eleven persons (27%) were intoxicated (average blood alchohol of 279 mg/dl; range, 140 to 460). Of the 30 survivors transported, hospital records were available for 24. Thirteen were hospitalized and 10 underwent surgery. Six major amputations occurred among survivors. Six patients had an injury severity score of more than 15. Three mechanisms of injury occurred: falls on or from a train (56%); pedestrians hit by a train (41%), which accounted for all fatalities; and a train-automobile accident. This is the first comprehensive review of all significant railroad-related injuries in a metropolitan area.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/01960644
• Corporate Authors:

  American College of Emergency Physicians

  P.O. Box 61911
  Dallas, TX  United States  75261
• Authors:
  • Spaite, D
  • Criss, E
  • Valenzuela, T
  • Meislin, H W
  • Ogden, J R
• Publication Date: 1988

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 620-625
• Serial:
  • Annals of Emergency Medicine
  • Volume: 17
  • Issue Number: 6
  • Publisher: American College of Emergency Physicians
  • ISSN: 0196-0644
  • Serial URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/annals-of-emergency-medicine

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Blood alcohol levels; Disasters and emergency operations; Fatalities; Hazards and emergency operations; Hospitals; Injuries; Injury severity; Railroad crashes; Statistics; Urban areas
• Identifier Terms: Injury Severity Score
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Highways; Railroads; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00489406
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Nov 30 1989 12:00AM