EE: Road deaths up slightly but down from pre-pandemic levels in 2021

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The 2021 figures represent a 6% increase over 2020.

Last year on her streets EU 19,900 people lost their lives, according to the final figures for them deaths from road accidents in 2021, which the Commission published today. The figures were released as the Commission organizes its annual Road Safety Excellence Awards, which reward innovative road safety projects across Europe.

The 2021 figures represent an increase of 6% over 2020. The increase followed an unprecedented annual decline of 17% from 2019 to 2020, largely due to reduced traffic due to the restrictive measures imposed because of the pandemic. At EU level, there were 45 road traffic deaths per million inhabitants in 2021 (from 20/million in Sweden and 22/million in Denmark to 81/million in Bulgaria and 92/million in Romania). According to preliminary data, in the first seven months of 2022, road traffic deaths recorded an average increase of more than 10% compared to the same period last year. However, they remain below pre-pandemic levels.

As part of the ‘Zero Loss Vision’, the Commission is working closely with Member States on a holistic approach to safety, which includes safe vehicles, safe infrastructure, safe use of the road network and better post-crash care. This modern approach is widely accepted as the best means of promoting road safety.

The Commission has also published a series of reports as part of the European Road Safety Observatory, which provide detailed data and analysis on various road safety issues, such as the importance of seat belt use, the risks children face on the road, cyclists and the elderly and driver distraction. More information is available here.

Lena Flitzani

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