Accidents between Prague trams and pedestrians decreased by almost half in 2020

Accidents between Prague trams and pedestrians fell significantly in 2020. The Prague Public Transit Company (DPP) registered 47 incidents last year, a decrease of almost 50 percent compared to 2019. The vast majority ended up with minor pedestrian injuries and only three with severe ones.

More positive news is that last year, for the first time in began 15 years, not a single collision with a tram ended in a pedestrian’s death.

The long-term safety campaign “Don't jump under my wheels!" helped to draw attention to the issue that pedestrians need to be mindful of trams. The COVID-19 pandemic also contributed to the drop, as there was a decrease in people using public transport, reduced tram schedules, and a lower number of tourists in Prague.

DPP has been closely monitoring tram collisions with pedestrians for 15 years. In the long run, it turns out that children are more attentive and cautious than adults. Among adults, women are more careful than men.

Despite Prague seeing a significant drop in foreign tourists last year, DPP recorded 11 cases of accidents between trams and foreigners, only eight (or 42 percent) fewer than in 2019.

“No deaths and half the injuries after tram collisions with pedestrians is a great result, even though the effects of the corona crisis helped us in part,” Prague Deputy Mayor Adam Scheinherr (Praha sobě), who is also chairman of the DPP supervisory board, said in a press release.

Scheinherr said the city does everything to ensure that Prague’s public transport is not only comfortable, clean and user-friendly, but also safe in all respects. “Last year's results are a motivation to always look for new ways to protect pedestrians,” he added.

The city together with DPP this year will test a new generation of anti-collision systems. “We are also preparing a special application for avid smartphone users, because their inattention and perception of the surrounding world is the most common cause of accidents,” he said.

Petr Witowski, chairman of the board and CEO of DPP, said he was pleased that they are gradually succeeding in reducing the number of tram accidents involving pedestrians.

There were 105 accidents in 2018, which was reduced in 2019 to 87 and last year to 47.

"In 2018, eight people died after collisions with trams, the year before last there were three, and last year for the first time in 15 years of keeping these statistics, not a single person, which I consider a small miracle,” he said.

“Undoubtedly, the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to this. However, I am convinced that our long-term campaign and greater education of passengers, and last but not least the attention and foresight of our drivers, as well as their training, have contributed to the good results,” he said.

DPP in cooperation with the city, safety organization BESIP, the Czech Police and regional transit organizer ROPID will continue the “Don't jump under my wheels!" campaign that was launched in July 2019.