evidence: Fall in the number of railway accidents 9 % fewer railway accidents in the EU-27 in 2019 compared with 2018 The number of significant railway accidents fell between 2010 and 2019, with the exception of two increases in 2014 and 2017. In 2019, the number of accidents decreased by 150 accidents compared with 2018, to a total of 1 516 accidents (-9 %). Railway safety has generally improved in the EU-27, with 713 fewer accidents in 2019 compared with 2010, a reduction of 32 %. In 2015, the decrease compared with the previous year was particularly marked (-13 %). In 2017, however, the number of significant accidents was slightly above the level of 2015. The decrease in accidents from 2018 to 2019 did concern all accident categories with the exception of one: while the number of level crossing accidents (-10 accidents), derailments (-1 accident), accidents to persons by rolling stock in motion (excl. suicides) (-144 accidents), collisions (-6 accidents) and fires in rolling stock (-16 accidents) all decreased in 2019 compared with 2018, other significant railway accidents (+27 accidents) increased. Accident figures are comparable from 2010 onwards, following the implementation of common definitions across all Member States. Prior to 2010, Belgium, Poland and Slovakia generally reported all railway accidents instead of only significant accidents.