The Victorian Coronial Database was searched for information concerning the number and type of rail-related deaths that had occurred between January 1990 and December 2002 in Victoria. During that period, a total of 567 such deaths occurred. Of these, 368 were intentional deaths (suicides) and 171 were unintentional deaths (accidents). In 28 cases the intent was not determined. There were about 5 male deaths for each 2 female deaths both for accidents and suicide. These results show that the pattern of rail- related deaths in Victoria has changed dramatically. First, in the 1970s, about 25 persons died each year: but by the end of the century this had been reduced to 11. Secondly, the reduction in the number of accidents to motor vehicle occupants had been accompanied by an increase in pedestrian suicides, whilst the major location of injury had switched from the railway crossing to the track itself. The suicide death rate was greater than the accidental death rate for every year of the study and the disparity increased over time, due primarily to the increase in the annual rate of rail- related suicides during the study period. (a).
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