Metro Vs. Driving - The Safety Story
COALITION FOR SMARTER GROWTH
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Contact:
October 21, 2009 Stewart Schwartz, CSG, 202-244-4408 ext 121
703-599-6437 (cell)
New Fact Sheet Shows Riding Metro is Far Safer than Driving
Greater Investment in Metro Needed to Maintain, Improve Service and Safety
Metro’s safety record has received a lot of attention in recent months and with reports that ridership has slightly declined, many are wondering if the tragic Red Line accident is to blame. It’s not clear how much impact safety concerns have had on riders’ travel choices. Certainly, the economy has played a role in decreased ridership, which has also led to a drop in driving.
Curious about the relative safety of Metro, the Coalition for Smarter Growth researched safety statistics for rail transit and for driving. “Our conclusion is you are far safer riding Metrorail than you are driving on the Washington region’s roads and highways,” said Stewart Schwartz, Executive Director, Coalition for Smarter Growth. “But, in order to maintain and upgrade the aging infrastructure of our world-class transit system, our region’s elected officials must commit to greater investment in Metro.”
Safety comparisons are provided in the attached fact sheet released today by the Coalition for Smarter Growth. Highlights include:
Nationwide:
- Between 2004 and 2006, 94,101 people died on the roadways in passenger vehicles (cars, vans, SUVs, light trucks) and just 34 on heavy rail systems across the United States. Deaths on the roadways involving passenger cars, vans, SUVs and light trucks were nearly nine times greater than heavy rail transit passenger deaths (from collisions and derailments) per billion passenger miles.
- In 2005, the odds of a passenger dying from a vehicle collision were approximately 1 in 20,000 compared to 1 in 42 million from a heavy rail transit accident.
DC Region:
- In the DC region, 2,057 people died in vehicle crashes between 2003 and 2007 (the most recent data available), and about 225,000 were injured.
- During the same period there were 0 passenger deaths and 816 injuries on Metrorail.
- If the 2009 accident deaths are included along with 2008 statistics, there were 8 deaths and 1060 injuries on Metrorail over seven years compared to the 2057 deaths and 225,000 injuries over five years on the roadways.
- For the entire 33 year existence of Metro (1976 to 2009), eleven passengers have died due to collisions and derailments. During this period, deaths on area roadways would be grater than 10,000 people.
- Looking just at 2007, when there were 0 fatalities on Metro and 161 passenger injuries, 396 people were killed and 40,160 people were injured in 82,054 vehicle crashes in the D.C. region.
“While there has been heavy coverage of the tragic Metrorail accident, it is important to note that, on average, in 2007 alone the DC region experienced one roadway crash every 6.4 minutes, one injury every 13.1 minutes, and one death every 22.1 hours, more than one death each day,” said Marin Odioso, Research Consultant to the Coalition for Smarter Growth, who compiled the statistics.
“No matter which way you look at it, you are safer traveling on Metrorail than you are on the roadways. In fact, the Victoria Transportation Policy Institute has found that cities with extensive rail transit tend to have lower per capita deaths in traffic accidents, because of the availability of safer transit service. We are fortunate to have the Metrorail system,” said Schwartz.
“Yet, Metro safety also depends on making the necessary investments in maintenance and system upgrades,” said Schwartz. Metro is facing serious operating budget shortfalls in FY2010, and has an estimated $11.4 billion in needs over 10 years for replacement and upgrade of aging tracks, switches, electrical systems, railcars, buses and other systems, along with additional rail cars and buses to keep up with growing ridership.
Greater accountability by Metro to elected officials and the public – to improve financial management, training, information, service, and safety for both workers and passengers are also important. The Coalition for Smarter Growth, along with its partners in the Transit First campaign, has been alerting the public to Metro’s funding needs and has been soliciting input on ways to improve Metro accountability and responsiveness to elected officials and the public.
“Metro is our great transit system and the lifeblood of our region and economy. Without it we would see unbearable traffic congestion, reduced economic output, and more deaths and injuries on the roadways. We are campaigning for the investments and accountability structures needed to make it the best in the world,” concluded Schwartz.
SEE ATTACHED FACT SHEET
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