Asia

Even so, it is safer by rail

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THE train crash this week in Gaisal, in north-east India, was perhaps the worst in the country's history. But only just: lethal collisions and derailments are common. Last November, 210 people died in a collision in Punjab. However, far more people are killed and injured on the roads than on the railways. In poor countries especially, dangerous roads and dangerous drivers are a common combination.

This article appeared in the Asia section of the print edition under the headline “Even so, it is safer by rail”

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