ABSTRACT
The recent train derailment in Santiago de Compostela is a case study in this-media reports firmly established human error as the accident cause early on in the investigation (e.g. Topham, 2013; Dowsett & Larraz, 2013), and this was followed by reports of previous reckless behaviors by the driver involved. Later accounts of his reputation for cautious behavior were not as widely reported. But the debate in the media over the possible culpability of the driver distracted from the more serious issues involved: the poor design of the track at that location and the consequent need for a serious reduction in speed combined with the lack of supervisory automation systems for monitoring speed-a system which was in place for the rest of the line (Burgen, 2013). These design flaws created a situation in which human error was far more likely, and the right set of circumstances occurred when the driver was distracted by a work related call. The organizational factors that allowed these to take place have not yet been fully investigated and/or reported to the authors’ knowledge, however the rail infrastructure manager has already moved to install speed controls on the section of track, as well as reviewing protocols governing communications between drivers, control center staff and train crews in light of the accident.
