The New York subway is a wonderful mode of public transportation that many other U.S. cities do not have. While you may complain about it every now and then, you have to be grateful that it offers an option for getting around the city. Any delays or closures can become annoying, though. A recent trend in accidents is proving to be incredibly worrisome. As the New York Times explains, there is a surge in people getting onto the tracks, which is causing many subway accidents.

There are many reasons why people may end up on the tracks. It is not easy to stop the vehicle as it careens down the tracks, so being on the tracks is incredibly dangerous.

Sometimes people will do it on purpose. They want to attempt suicide or they are trying to get something that fell onto the tracks. Sometimes it is accidental, such as someone falling or being pushed. Although, getting pushed onto the tracks is actually a rare occurrence.

In any case, if the driver does not see the person or cannot get stopped in time, the results are catastrophic. The worry is they are rising. More and more incidents of people on the tracks occur each year. There is no real data on why it is happening either. Officials do point to the rise in homelessness as a possible cause.

The subway system is trying to spread the word that being on the tracks is very dangerous and nobody should ever go on the tracks for any reason. In addition, there are possible criminal charges for being on the tracks. This information is for education and is not legal advice.