Article Figures & Data
Tables
Accident Location Year Mode Fatalities Injuries Brief Description Baltimore, MD 2000 Rail transit 0 17 A transit train ran into the end-of-track bumping post. Jackson, TN 2000 Highway 1 1 A tractor trailer struck a state trooper vehicle in a work zone, then crossed the median and struck a passenger vehicle. Clarkston, MI 2001 Rail 2 2 One freight train failed to stop at a signal and struck another freight train head on. Memphis, TN 2002 Highway 5 2 A 15-passenger child care van ran off the road. Hilo, HI 2008 Aviation 0 0 Both flight crew on a Mesa Airlines commercial flight fell asleep and overflew the destination airport. Newton, MA 2008 Rail transit 1 8 A transit train passed a stop signal and rear ended a stopped train, both loaded with passengers. Miami, OK 2009 Highway 10 6 A tractor trailer ran into a queue of traffic, striking several passenger vehicles. Port Arthur, TX 2010 Marine 0 0 An oil tanker, the Eagle Otome, collided with 2 other ships; more than 460,000 gallons of oil spilled into the waterway. Red Oak, IA 2011 Rail 2 0 A freight train passed a stop signal and crashed into a stopped rail maintenance train. Chaffee, MO 2013 Rail 0 5 One freight train failed to stop at a signal and struck another freight train, causing the collapse of a highway overpass. TOTAL 21 41
Additional Files
The Article in Brief
Fatal Consequences: Obstructive Sleep Apnea in a Train Engineer
Mary Pat McKay
Background This special report by the chief medical officer for the National Transportation Safety Board describes the findings of the investigation into the probable cause of the derailment of a Metro-North passenger train in the Bronx, New York, on December 1, 2013 that resulted in four deaths and injuries to 59 additional people.
What This Study Found A key finding of the medical investigation was the engineer?s post-accident diagnosis of severe, obstructive sleep apnea, which led investigators to determine the probable cause of the accident was the engineer having fallen asleep while operating the train. The accident highlights the importance of screening, evaluating and ensuring adequate treatment of obstructive sleep apnea, especially among patients working in positions where impairment of physical or cognitive function or sudden incapacitation may result in serious harm to the public.
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