Source: European Commission

In 2023, 20,400 people lost their lives to road crashes across the EU, a 1% decrease compared to the previous year, resulting in 46 deaths per million residents. While there has been a 10% reduction in fatalities since 2019, the current rate of decline is below the 4.5% annual reduction needed to meet the EU’s goal of halving road deaths by 2030.

Variation among member states

Member States show uneven progress: in 2023, Czechia, Cyprus, Poland, Romania, and Finland recorded their lowest road fatality numbers since modern records began. Poland reported a 35% reduction in fatalities between 2019 and 2023, while Ireland saw a 31% increase. Despite these trends, Poland’s road fatality rate per capita remains above the EU average, while Ireland’s is below. Sweden (22 deaths per million) and Denmark (26/million) remain the safest, while Bulgaria (82/million) and Romania (81/million) recorded the highest rates in 2023.

Today’s figures provide the final data on road fatalities for 2023, following preliminary data released in March 2024.

Estimates for the first half of 2024

Preliminary figures for the first six months of 2024 indicate that the number of deaths on EU roads remained steady compared to the same period in 2023. Austria, Lithuania, and Slovenia recorded significant declines of over 25%, while other Member States reported increases. Monthly fluctuations, however, make full-year projections challenging.

Background

In 2018, the EU set a target to reduce road deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030. This commitment, outlined in the European Commission’s Strategic Action Plan on Road Safety and the EU’s 2021-2030 road safety framework, also introduced a long-term goal of zero fatalities by 2050 (“Vision Zero”). The European Court of Auditors recently highlighted the need for intensified efforts to meet these targets.

In March 2023, the Commission introduced a series of proposals to improve road safety, including updated driving license requirements and strengthened cross-border enforcement of road rules.

Road safety is a core component of recent EU mobility initiatives, such as the Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy, the new TEN-T Regulation, and the Urban Mobility Framework. In its proposal for a European Declaration on Cycling, the Commission emphasises safety as essential for encouraging cycling and is preparing guidelines to ensure quality requirements for the safety of vulnerable road users, including cyclists.

Click here to view the most recent figures.