Police: Argo Bromo Train Driver Hesitated to Apply Emergency Brakes Due to Fear of Derailment
Police have disclosed the reasons why the driver of the Argo Bromo Anggrek train, identified by the initials AN, hesitated to perform an emergency brake during the collision involving a Commuter Line train (KRL) at Bekasi Timur Station.
AKP Muhammad Rizka, Head of Sub-unit 1, Kamneg Ditreskrimum Metro Jaya Regional Police, stated that during examinations, the driver admitted to being hesitant to brake because he feared the carriages might derail. “According to him, if we perform an emergency brake or sudden braking, it could cause the carriages to overturn. However, this has been refuted by railway experts using the Minden theory formula,” Rizka said at the Metro Jaya Regional Police Headquarters on Tuesday (29/9).
Based on reconstructions and investigations, the driver had already seen the signal to perform braking. Had braking been executed, the train could have come to a complete stop 600 metres from the accident site. “A total of approximately 1 kilometre was still visible. Ideally, according to railway experts via the Minden calculation theory, braking was capable of being performed, resulting in a full stop at 600 metres with the speed recorded in the data logger,” Rizka explained.
Rizka noted that there are existing regulations and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for drivers to perform emergency braking, even in cases of uncertainty. “It is stipulated in Service Regulation 19, Article 50 of the Railways. If he says, ‘I am hesitant, sir, whether it is red or not,’ Article 50 states that if one is in doubt, one must take the most severe action: stop first, then confirm,” he said.
“He claims they lack training or similar, but it is clearly stated in the SOP. It is already in Article 50 of Service Regulation number 19,” he added.
Previously, the Metro Jaya Regional Police named the driver of the Argo Bromo Anggrek, AN, as a suspect in the accident involving the KRL at Bekasi Timur Station. In this case, the suspect faces charges under Articles 323, 324, and 474 of the Criminal Code, as well as Articles 198 and 206 of Law Number 23 of 2007 concerning Railways, with potential prison sentences ranging from 5 to 12 years.
The accident involving the Argo Bromo Anggrek and the KRL Commuter Line at Bekasi Timur Station occurred on Monday (27/4) night. The incident was triggered by a Green SM taxi stalling at a level crossing due to an electrical system failure. The vehicle was subsequently struck by the passing KRL.
As a result of the first accident, a KRL set bound for Cikarang performed an emergency stop at Bekasi Timur Station. While stationary, the KRL set was struck from behind by the Argo Bromo Anggrek, causing the rear women-only carriage to be crushed and resulting in the loss of dozens of lives.