Accident Reports Act

The Accident Reports Act of 1910 required railroads to report all fatality, injury and property damage accidents to the ICC. The ICC was also given powers to investigate serious railroad accidents. 

Prior to 1970 most governmental actions were supportive of informational or liability responses to market failure. The Carmack Amendment of 1906 made railroad strictly liable for loss and damage to freight. The Federal Employers Liability Act of 1908 established liability for occupational injuries. The Accident Reports Act of 1910 required railroads to provide information on accidents. The same act allowed the ICC to investigate railroad accidents. These powers were transferred to the NTSB in 1974. Signal failures have had to be reported to the government since the Signal Inspection Act of 1920. 

---