Around 20,600 people were killed in road accidents last year in the EU, an increase of 3% compared to 2021. At the same time there were 10% fewer deaths (2000) compared to 2019. Now the EU and UN aim to halve number of road traffic deaths by 2030.

The largest declines, of more than 30%, were seen in Lithuania and Poland, with Denmark also recording a 23% drop. In contrast, over the past three years, the number of road deaths in countries such as Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden has remained relatively stable or increased slightly.

The overall ranking of country death rates has not changed significantly since the pre-pandemic period with the safest roads being in Sweden (21 deaths per million inhabitants) and Denmark (26 per million inhabitants). In contrast, Romania (86 per million inhabitants) and Bulgaria (78 per million inhabitants) reported the highest rates in 2022. The EU average was 46 road traffic deaths per million inhabitants.

Based on available data for 2021, 52% of traffic deaths occurred on rural roads, compared to 39% in urban areas and 9% on highways. Men are responsible for three out of four road traffic deaths (78%). Car occupants (drivers and passengers) accounted for 45% of all road traffic deaths, while pedestrians accounted for 18%, two-wheeled users (motorcycles and mopeds) 19% and cyclists 9% of all deaths.

Within urban areas, the situation differs with vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists and e-bike users) accounting for just under 70% of total fatalities. The vast majority of urban road user deaths occur in accidents involving cars and trucks and thus underline the need to improve the protection of vulnerable road users.

Of particular concern, according to the data, is the increased rate of cycling, while the trend in the number of cyclists killed on EU roads is a serious cause for concern. This is the only group of road users not has seen a significant decline in deaths over the past decade, which is due to poor infrastructure. In 2022, for example, preliminary figures from France show a 30% increase in bicycle deaths compared to 2019.

In GREECE in 2019 we had 64 road traffic deaths per million population, in 2020 they dropped to 54 deaths, in 2021 we had 57 deaths and in 2022 we had 58 deaths, recording an increase of 1%. Compared to 2019, deaths were down by 11% and compared to the three-year period 2017-2019, deaths were also down by 13%.

Recall that in 2018, the EU set a target of a 50% reduction in road traffic deaths, as well as serious injuries, by 2030. This was set out in the Commission’s Road Safety Strategic Action Plan and the EU Policy Framework on Road Safety road safety 2021-2030, which also sets out road safety plans with the aim of achieving zero road deaths by 2050 (‘Vision Zero’).