Tom Anderson wrote

hypothetical arguments either way - and probably find real-life cases
too.
However, the fact that trains with dead man's handles have operated
in
London for over a century without, as far as i know, the kind of
situation
you describe having led to any casualties indicates to me that it's a

generally quite safe way of operating a train.

But throughout most of that "over a century" those trains were not OPO
(One Person Operated) so there was little downside to the policy of
"stop and let the guard sort it out".

Safety engineers now have to consider what the passengers might get up
to in panic if they think themselves trapped.

A reliable video, audio and telemetry link to the control room might
change the balance yet again.

--
Mike D