The statistics show a significant decline compared to 2010. In the EU, the average is 1.5 deaths per million inhabitants per year. Sitting on the train is relatively safest.
The number of fatalities in rail transport in the EU continued to fall in 2021. According to Eurostat on Thursday, 683 people died in rail accidents in the EU that year. That is a significant drop of 45 percent compared to 2010. Compared to 2020, the number of deaths fell by one percent, with Eurostat emphasizing that significantly fewer passengers used the train in 2020 due to the corona pandemic.
Measured against the population, most people in Slovakia lost their lives in rail transport, with 5.7 deaths per million inhabitants. The second place is reported to be Hungary (4.9), followed by Poland (3.9). On average, the fewest people died in Ireland (0.2), Spain (0.3), Greece and the Netherlands (0.6 each). The EU average is 1.5 deaths per million inhabitants.
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The statistics also show that the risk is particularly high for unauthorized persons in the area of the tracks or at level crossings. The number of people injured on trains (personnel and passengers) is significantly lower. Incidentally, suicides are not included in the statistics. According to Eurostat, there were 75 suicides on Austrian tracks in 2021.
>> Detailed Eurostat data on the subject
(APA/dpa)