Train derailments in U.S. average more than 1,700 per year

In early February 2023, 38 teach vehicles derailed in East Palestine, Ohio. The derailment precipitated questions on-line about railroad protection, in addition to claims in regards to the collection of teach derailments around the U.S. 

Chanel Rion, a correspondent with the One America News Network, tweeted, “On average, over 1,700 train derailments occur in the US per year. It’s common.” 

On The Victory Channel, a conservative, faith-based news outlet, Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) also cited that statistic, and mentioned that equates to more than 4 derailments per day.

A VERIFY viewer requested us on TikTok if the ones numbers are correct.

Are there an average of 1,700 teach derailments in the U.S. every year?

Yes, on average, there are more than 1,700 teach derailments every year in the U.S.

From 1990 to 2021, there have been 54,570 teach derailments in the U.S. That’s an average of one,760 derailments per year, or about 4.8 derailments per day, in line with information from the Bureau of Transportation Statistics (BTS). 

On average, there are 4 deaths led to through teach derailments every year. 

The BTS started monitoring teach derailment information every year in 1990. Prior to that, the knowledge used to be measured each and every 5 years. The BTS collects their information from the Department of Transportation’s Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). 

The FRA defines a derailment as any form of teach coincidence the place on-track apparatus leaves the rail for a reason why different than collision or explosion.

Derailments are maximum steadily led to through music prerequisites, human error or mechanical defects, the FRA mentioned. 

Railroads are required to report all derailments with general reportable damages exceeding $11,500 to the FRA. The FRA informed VERIFY that the low harm threshold is low sufficient to use to maximum occasions.