Archive:Railway safety statistics

Data from November 2014. Most recent data: Further Eurostat information, Main tables and Database.

This article takes a look at recent annual statistics on rail transport accidents in the European Union (EU). Safety in rail transport has steadily enhanced over the years: in 2013, the decline in number of accidents compared with 2012 could be established at 1.9 %, and the number of victims (killed or injured persons) has also decreased over the same period (-1.9 %).

Figure 1: Number of persons killed in railway accidents, 2012-2013
Source: Eurostat (rail_ac_catvict)

Main statistical findings

Table 1: Number of persons killed and injured by type of accident and category of persons in EU-28, 2013
Source: Eurostat (rail_ac_catvict)

Table 2: Rail traffic performance (detailed reporting) and number of significant accidents in EU-28, 2013
Source: Eurostat (rail_ac_catnmbr) (rail_ac_catvict) (rail_go_quartal) (rail_pa_quartal)

Table 3: Fatalities by category of persons, 2013
Source: Eurostat (rail_ac_catvict)

Table 4: Fatalities by type of accident, 2013
Source: Eurostat (rail_ac_catvict)

Figure 2: Train passengers killed per billion passenger-km, 2012-2013
Source: Eurostat (rail_ac_catvict) (rail_pa_total) (rail_pa_quartal)

In 2013, there were 2 219 persons killed or seriously injured in railway accidents in the EU-28, around 1.9 % less than in 2012. Suicides are in principle excluded from these statistics, but not all Member States can identify them in the statistics sent to Eurostat.

A total of 2 137 significant train accidents were registered in the EU-28 in 2013, representing a decrease of 1.9 % compared to 2012: this is in line with the regular declining trend observed since 2004.

Four Member States responsible for more than half of the victims in the EU-28

To measure the relative safety of rail transport, the number of accidents and the related number of victims have to be linked to traffic performance (expressed in passenger-kilometres and tonne-kilometres).

In absolute terms, Table 2 shows that four countries accounted for more than half of all rail victims registered in the EU-28 in 2013, namely Poland, Germany, Spain and Romania. The picture is different when considering the average number of persons killed or injured per accident. The high ratio recorded by Estonia (7 persons killed or injured per accident) is not significant due to the fact that the country recorded only one accident in 2013. The rate observed in Spain (4.6) is by far above the EU-28 average (1.0): the figure for this country is especially influenced by the major accident having occurred in Santiago de Compostela on 24 July 2013. For all EFTA countries and Candidate countries this ratio is below the EU average with the exception of Turkey (1.1).

When analysing the relation between passenger transport performance and rail safety using the number of passengers killed per passenger-kilometre, two countries record ratios of more than twice the EU-28 average (0.24 passengers killed per billion passenger-kilometres). These Member States are Spain (3.46) and Hungary (0.51). Out of the EFTA and Candidate countries, Turkey is the only country registering a ratio different than 0, with 0.26 passengers killed per billion passenger-kilometres in 2013.

Liechtenstein is the only country for which no victim (killed or injured persons) was reported in 2013.

Two types of accident caused 91 % of fatalities

For all participating countries except Belgium and Spain, the most common type of accident with victims relates to accidents caused by rolling stock in motion or to those happening at level-crossings. In 2013, these two categories represented 83.5 % of the total amount of victims and 90.6 % of the fatalities (Table 1).

Only a minority (20.9 %) of rail accident victims in the EU-28 were actually passengers travelling on trains or railway employees. The majority, the remaining 79.1 %, was constituted of ‘other persons’ (e.g.: level-crossing users or unauthorised persons on railway premises). However, several types of accidents are especially serious for passengers and employees: this is the case for derailments (98 % of the victims caused by this type of accident were registered among passengers in 2013) as well as for collisions (88 % of the victims among passengers and employees).

At country level, 229 fatalities were registered in Poland, 158 in Germany and 113 in Spain (Table 3). For the two first countries, the majority of fatalities were linked to accidents caused by ‘rolling stock in motion’ (78 % for Poland, 72 % for Germany) while derailments represented 70% of the fatalities recorded by Spain (Table 4).

Within the European Union, the highest share of fatalities due to collisions in the total number of fatalities was recorded in Austria (7 %), followed by Italy (3 %).

Low number of fatalities per billion passenger-kilometres

As the number of passengers killed in rail accidents is very low each year, it is important to keep in mind that one single accident - or even one single victim - can have a big impact when comparing countries or the annual number of passengers killed per billion passenger-kilometres.

Spain registered the highest ratio in 2013 (3.46 passengers killed per billion passenger-kilometres) ahead of Hungary (0.51): all the other reporting countries recorded a ratio under 0.40 in 2013 (Figure 2). For a large majority of countries, this indicator improved or remained constant between 2012 and 2013.

Data sources and availability

Data availability

The figures presented in this publication have been extracted from the Eurostat rail transport database on 05/11/2014. It includes statistics on rail accidents in the Member States, EFTA and Candidate countries, collected according to Regulation 91/2003. Please note that all accidents are significant accidents.

Country-specific notes - country characteristics of data availability

(see country codes)

CY: No railway transport
MT: No railway transport

Methodology

Table 2 and Figure 2: quarterly transport performance data have to be provided only by the railway undertakings covered by so called detailed reporting (transport performance above the thresholds set in the Regulation – 500 million tonne-km or 200 million passenger-km). Railway undertakings which are below the thresholds may be included either in the detailed reporting or in the simplified reporting. It means that quarterly transport performance figures do not include smaller undertakings under simplified reporting.

Definitions

Definitions presented here are those of the Regulation n°1192/2003 of 3 July 2003 amending Regulation No 91/2003 of the European Parliament and of the Council on rail transport statistics.

Significant accident

Any accident involving at least one rail vehicle in motion, resulting in at least one killed or seriously injured person, or in significant damage to stock, track, other installations or environment, or extensive disruptions to traffic. Accidents in workshops, warehouses and depots are excluded.

Significant damage to stock, track, other installations or environment

This means damage that is equivalent to EUR 150 000 or more.

Serious injury accident

Any accident involving at least one rail vehicle in motion, resulting in at least one killed or seriously injured person. Accidents in workshops, warehouses and depots are excluded.

Level crossing accident

Any accident at level crossings involving at least one railway vehicle and one or more road vehicles, other users of the road such as pedestrians or other objects temporarily present at or near the track.

Accident to persons caused by rolling stock in motion

Any accident to one or more persons that are either hit by a railway vehicle or part of it or hit by an object detached from the vehicle. Persons that fall from railway vehicles are included, as well as persons that fall or are hit by loose objects when travelling on-board vehicles.

Person killed (Fatality)

Any person killed immediately or dying within 30 days as a result of an accident, excluding suicides. It includes passengers, employees and others persons specified or unspecified person involved in a rail injury accident.

Person seriously injured

Any person injured who was hospitalised for more than 24 hours as a result of an accident, excluding attempted suicides.

Rail passenger

Any person, excluding members of the train crew, who makes a trip by rail. For accident statistics, passengers trying to embark/disembark onto/from a moving train are included.

Others

As a category of victim, "others" includes, for example, level crossing users and trespassers.

Symbols

:	not available
-	not applicable
0	actual zero or very negligible transport
c	confidential data

Context

The content of this statistical article is based on data collected within the framework of the EU rail transport statistics Regulation 91/2003 on rail transport statistics.

The basic legal act was amended by Commission Regulation 1192/2003 on rail transport statistics.

Further Eurostat information

Publications

Strong recovery in rail freight transport performance in the first nine months of 2010 - Statistics in focus 10/2012
The fall in rail freight transport performance slowed down towards the end of 2009 - Statistics in focus 11/2011
Goods transport by rail declining by the end of 2008 - Statistics in focus 19/2010
Railway passenger transport decreased slightly at the beginning of 2009 - Statistics in focus 15/2010

Main tables

Transport, see:

Railway transport (t_rail)

Rail transport of passengers (ttr00015)

Database

Transport, see:

Railway transport (rail)

Railway transport measurement - passengers (rail_pa)

Railway transport - accidents (rail_ac)

Other information

Regulation 91/2003 of 16 December 2002 on rail transport statistics
Regulation 1192/2003 of 3 July 2003 amending Regulation 91/2003 on rail transport statistics