Trains collide with animals daily on Finland’s railways

Collisions between trains and animals occur daily on Finland’s railways. “They run in front of the train from the embankment, leading to a crash. It doesn’t feel good,” says Markku Lehtinen, who has been a train driver for 20 years. He notes that the most distressing moments come when dogs run under the locomotive. “It’s someone’s pet and a beloved animal. It’s a sad feeling.”

Dog accidents are particularly common during the autumn hunting season when dogs are more active in nature. Lehtinen, who is also the chairman of the Railway Union RAU, observes that moose and deer collisions increase in autumn compared to other seasons.

According to VR, the Finnish railway company, an estimated 300 to 400 animals are struck by trains each year, with most incidents occurring in Northern Finland. Fintraffic, the traffic management company, reports that about half of these animal collisions cause disturbances in train operations. “In winter, reindeer come onto the tracks, where they can move more easily than in deep snow. In the worst cases, dozens of reindeer can be caught under a train at once,” explains Mari Helander, head of the railway traffic center at Fintraffic.

Collisions with moose are most frequent in Kainuu and Southeast Finland, while deer incidents are common in Southern Finland. Train collisions with predators are not rare either; in early October, three bear cubs were reported to have been struck by a train in Pirkanmaa.

When an animal is hit, train drivers immediately report the incident to Fintraffic, which then notifies wildlife rescue services responsible for removing the animal’s remains. Lehtinen emphasizes that accidents with animals happen unexpectedly, and while drivers can sound horns or apply brakes to try to prevent collisions, the long stopping distances of trains often make it challenging to avoid impact.

Fortunately, an animal-related collision rarely disrupts an entire train journey unless it causes mechanical damage to the locomotive. After such accidents, trains are cleaned before returning to service, yet train drivers are not provided with counseling support. Lehtinen notes that he hasn’t felt the need for such support, as peer support from colleagues is often the best remedy in these situations.