The driver has a great responsibility in tram traffic: Work shift arrangements of drivers and driver-assistance technologies at the centre of SIAF recommendations

The Safety In­ves­ti­ga­tion Au­thor­ity, Fin­land (SIAF) has com­pleted the in­ves­ti­ga­tion of two tram line 15 (so-called Jok­eri Light Rail) ac­ci­dents. Two trams col­lided in the vicin­ity of the Itäkeskus ter­mi­nus in Helsinki, in Oc­to­ber 2024, and in No­vem­ber 2024, a tram col­lided with the end wall of the track in Keilaniemi, Es­poo.

The first collision occurred as the driver of one of the trams left the terminus without permission to leave, passing a signal at danger. The first switch directed the tram to a different track, and it collided side-on with an oncoming tram. The second collision occurred as the tram driver lost their functional capacity shortly before arriving at the terminus and was unable to stop the tram before the track end point. As a result of the first accident, one passenger was slightly injured, the material damage, however, was considerable. In the second accident, four passengers were injured, one of whom sustained serious injuries. The material damage was minor in the accident in question.

Tram line 15 is the first so-called light rail line in the Helsinki Metropolitan Area. The drivers operate on sight mode. However, tram line 15 has been considered an extension of the previous tram network in planning, which has resulted in many implementation solutions that have been unfavourable in terms of track and rolling stock.

“In both accidents, the contributing factor was the human: The tram operator’s shift system exposes drivers to fatigue. However, the threshold for notifying the supervisor of fatigue is high. Therefore, working tired has become a normal practice. In addition, the organisation’s atmosphere does not promote making safety observations and learning from occurrence reports in the best possible way,” says Investigator in Charge Lasse Laatta.

“In addition, the driver is practically solely liable for a great deal. In simple terms: nowadays, even a cheap car has more safety systems assisting the driver than a tram worth a couple of million. Driver-assistance devices can warn you if you are losing focus, for example. Based on the investigation, it can be generally concluded that tram traffic is lagging significantly behind other modes of transport in the use of technologies that improve safety and assist drivers,” adds Laatta.

In its recommendations, the Safety Investigation Authority addresses both improving the work shift system and increasing the use of technology that improves safety and supports the driver in tram traffic.

There is little or no regulation on tram traffic in Finland and the European Union. A variety of technical implementations and modes of operation have evolved in the sector. Also, for example, the selection process and health and training requirements of drivers are less stringent in tram traffic than in rail traffic in Finland, and less stringent than what is commonly seen in tram traffic in the Nordic countries. The Safety Investigation Authority recommends for the Ministry of Transport and Communications to launch a regulatory project to define national safety requirements for and supervision of tram traffic. In addition, the Ministry is recommended to define risk-based national health requirements and health monitoring for tram drivers.