A Study of a Mass Casualty Train Crash, Focusing on the Cause of Injuries

Abstract

This case study includes 73 fatally and nonfatally injured passengers from a level-crossing train crash in Nosaby, Sweden, in 2004. The aim was to identify the injury panorama and the injury objects and to determine the injury-inducing variables. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, quantitative content analysis, and multivariate data analysis. The first carriage overturned, and its occupants were the ones who suffered the most severe and lethal injuries. Injury type and injury location for these passengers also differed significantly from the passengers on the other two carriages. Tables significantly influenced injury type and injury location in all carriages, whereas the injured persons’ seating position had significant effect only in the second and third carriage. Those who had travelled facing forward with a table in front of them in Carriages 2 and 3 were more likely to have sustained injuries to their abdomen or pelvis. Other injury-inducing objects were seats, interior structures, wood pellets from the truck, and other passengers. Neck sprains were significantly more prevalent among those who had travelled facing backward. Improved train crashworthiness also needs to include interior safety, which would have a potential to reduce crash injuries.

Keywords:

• accident
• injury event
• injury object
• principal components analysis
• partial least square discriminant analysis
• railway

Acknowledgments

The authors wish to thank the Swedish National Board of Health and Welfare (Socialstyrelsen) for financial support. We would also like to thank Ms. Johanna Björnstig for her valuable assistance in coding the injuries. Finally, we also express our appreciation to Professor Emeritus Jan Thorson for notable input.