Infrastructure is the Main Cause of Train Accidents in the Last Six Years

The Ministry of Transportation (Kemenhub) reported that from 2015 to 2020, there were 130 train accidents. Of these, 68 accidents, or the most frequent cause, were due to inadequate infrastructure or facilities.

According to Indonesian Minister of Transportation Regulation No. 60 of 2020, railway infrastructure includes railway tracks, railway stations, and train operating facilities. Railway equipment refers to vehicles that can move on rails, or the trains themselves.

During this period, the highest number of accidents occurred in 2015, with 55 train accidents. The breakdown is as follows: 7 accidents due to train equipment, 29 due to infrastructure, 11 due to operator human error, 7 due to external factors, and 1 due to natural factors. In 2016, there were 7 accidents due to equipment and 8 due to infrastructure.

In 2017, there were 15 train accidents: 2 due to equipment, 6 due to infrastructure, 1 due to operator human error, and 6 due to natural factors. In 2018, there were 16 accidents: 6 due to train equipment, 9 due to infrastructure, and 1 due to operator human error.

In 2019, there were 11 train accidents: 4 due to train equipment, 6 due to infrastructure, and 1 due to operator human error. In 2020, there were 18 train accidents, with 2 accidents still under investigation. Four accidents were due to equipment and 10 due to infrastructure.

Operator human error and external factors also caused train accidents in 2020, each accounting for 1 accident. There were no train accidents caused by natural factors that year.

By type, from 2015 to 2020, the most common train accidents were derailments (127 incidents), where the train wheels left the tracks. There was 1 collision between trains, 1 train overturn, and 1 other type of accident during the five-year period.

Train accidents over the five-year period resulted in fatalities, serious injuries, and minor injuries. Specifically, in 2015, there was 1 fatality, 3 serious injuries, and 39 minor injuries. In 2016, there were a total of 97 casualties: 43 fatalities, 41 serious injuries, and 13 minor injuries. In 2017, there were 252 casualties: 87 fatalities, 79 serious injuries, and 86 minor injuries.

In 2018, train accidents resulted in 4 casualties: 3 minor injuries and 1 fatality. In 2019, there were 19 casualties, all with minor injuries. In 2020, there were no fatalities.