On this page: Publication of rail and bus safety statistics | Important information about rail safety statistics
Victoria's accredited public transport operators are required to report certain types of transport accidents, incidents and notifiable circumstances to PTSV under the Rail Safety Regulations 2006. PTSV uses this data to monitor trends and risks across the public transport network and to inform risk mitigation programs.
Accredited bus operators are also required to advise PTSV of any bus safety incidents that occur when operating across Victoria under the conditions of their accreditation.
Publication of rail and bus safety statistics
PTSV publishes the report 'Statistics @ a Glance' that incorporates the data reported to PTSV from accredited train, tram and bus operators. The report is updated on a monthly basis and data adjusted to reflect new information received during the reporting period. You can download the report from the 'tools and downloads' section on this page.
Important information about rail safety statistics
The following information provides additional guidance on interpreting PTSV's rail safety statistics.
Changes in accreditation and legislative requirements
There have been changes since 2003 in the collection of data relating to rail incidents resulting in increased numbers of incidents reported. The most significant change occurred in 2006 with the introduction of the Rail Safety Act 2006 (Vic) and the Rail Safety Regulations 2006. The Act and Regulations require accredited rail operators to report all accidents, incidents and notifiable occurrences to PTSV. Please note it is expected that continued efforts to improve reporting culture will see the data become less variable in future years.
Definition of serious injury
The serious injury definition under the Rail Safety Regulations 2006 was expanded between 1 August 2006 and 29 February 2008 to be defined as an injury "resulting in that person requiring immediate medical treatment by a registered medical practitioner within the meaning of the Medical Practice Act 1994. This resulted in an increase in the number of serious injuries reported. The definition from 1 March 2008 narrowed to "a person requiring immediate treatment as an in-patient in a hospital".