Extract from RSSB Annual Safety Report 2007

 7.4 Trespassers

…………There were 43 trespass fatalities during 2007; none were under 16-years-old. There were also 30 major injuries to trespassers in 2007, including two under-16s …….

………The peak age for trespass fatalities is 17; when normalised by population, nearly four times as many young adults (aged between 16 and 29) are killed trespassing than older adults (aged 30 and over).

The fact the children account for only 8.5% of trespass fatalities but as much as 50% of near misses seems inconsistent. A possible reason for this is that drivers are more likely to report near misses with children.

However, it may be children are somehow ‘better’ at avoiding the dangers of trespass than those who are older, possibly as a result of initiatives that have been introduced to educate children of the dangers and possibly as a result of alcohol and drugs being a factor in adult fatalities, especially in the evening.

Another possibility is that, as most child near misses occur during the day drivers are more likely to see them. A higher proportion of near misses with adults occur at night, and it is likely many of these events are simply not seen by drivers

There were no child trespass fatalities in 2007 – the first time this has occurred in a decade.

Indeed, there have been very few child fatalities in the last two decades, a fact which may point to the success of the various initiatives to warn children about trespassing on the railway. ……………………..