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FACT BRIEF

Have there been a record number of train derailments since Biden took office?

By Alberto Gomez
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NO

Although his term is not complete, train derailments have not become more frequent since President Biden took office in January 2021.

The U.S. Department of Transportation reported 1,103 derailments nationwide in 2021 and 1,184 in 2022. In comparison, derailments averaged 1,277 per year over Trump's four years in office.

Since 1975, the government’s data show the largest number of derailments occurred in 1978 at 8,764.

Derailments declined significantly after that, though there was a smaller increase in the early 2000s, peaking in 2004 with 2,435 derailments. Derailments trends have continued to go down since.

In 1978, Minnesota peaked with 249 derailments and trended downward since. Between 1975 and 1984, Minnesota averaged 203 derailments per year and 89 per year between 1985 and 1994.

Minnesota saw 27 derailments in 2022 and 24 in 2021.

A derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year prompted calls for stronger safety rules.
 

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
Dropbox Nationwide and Minnesota Derailment Data
US Department of Transportation | Federal Railroad Administration Train Accidents by Type
US Department of Transportation | Federal Railroad Administration Unique Train Accident Data Download
NPR Buttigieg calls for stronger railroad safety rules after East Palestine disaster
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About fact briefs published on Gigafact
Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.