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NORTHERN EUROPE PROFILE: ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION BOARD OF FINLAND
The study of
level crossing
safety in Finland
In Finland, railway undertaker VR and Finnish Rail Administration (RHK) became
concerned in 2005 about the high number of level crossing accidents. VR sent a
letter to the Accident Investigation Board of Finland (AIBF) and asked for it to
take action to prevent level crossing accidents. They had noticed that the level
of railway safety in Finland was high in international comparison, but safety on
level crossings was considered much worse. At the same time, the amount of
other rail accidents had decreased but the amount of level crossing accidents
was shown to have increased.
Esko Värttiö, At that time, AIBF didn't investigate level accidents. Fatal road accidents were
Chief Railway Accident
crossing accidents, except those accidents investigated by the Traffic Accident
Investigator,
Accident Investigation Board
in which a train had derailed or a Investigation Teams of the Traffic Safety
of Finland (AIBF) passenger or a train crew member was Commission of Finnish Motor Insurers'
deceased or injured seriously. Level Centre (VALT). Minor accidents were
crossing accidents were counted as road investigated only by the operator
and/or the police.
So, AIBF decided to make a safety
study on these findings. AIBF nominated a
commission with an investigator-in-charge
(me) and eight members. A decision was
made that the commission should study
documents produced by VALT and
documentation collected by VR on level
crossing accidents between 2003 and 2005
and to investigate five-ten new level
crossing accidents of different types and
different scopes.
In 2004, there was 5,741km
of track and 4,510 level crossings on
the Finish network. 744 level
crossings were equipped with half
barriers, 104 were equipped with light
and sound warning systems and
Figure 1: Level crossings per thousand track kilometres in 2004.
3,662 were unprotected.
44 EUROPEAN RAILWAY REVIEW
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ISSUE 3
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2008
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