A college student from Queens was struck and killed by an L train after a verbal and physical altercation on a subway platform, police say.
The number of straphangers hit by MTA trains went up last year, though the disturbing statistic still accounts for only a tiny fraction of total ridership.
In 2011, 147 passengers were hit by subway trains -- up 15 percent from the 128 riders who were struck the year before, according to the Daily News.
That means a rider was hit every 2.5 days.
MTA data did not break down how many of these passengers died, nor did it outline how many riders intentionally jumped in front of trains.
The report did indicate the rate of riders hit is only 0.09 per every million customers, but the statistic was nonetheless disturbing for straphangers throughout the city.
"Anything can happen on a subway platform, and it can be very scary," a Queens hospital worker told the News as she passed through a Times Square station.
Days ago, a 20-year-old college student from Queens was struck and killed by an L train after he fell into the tracks during a confrontation with an unknown man. Police are still looking for the suspect involved in the altercation.
The MTA says it consistently urges riders to stand back from the edge of the platform regardless of whether a train is approaching.
Local
The agency plans to discuss the uptick in incidents during a hearing on straphanger safety Monday, the News reported.
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