Fewer road deaths in the European Union

ACEA has calculated that there will be fewer road deaths in the European Union in 2021 than in the last pre-corona year, 2019. Although there were still corona measures in 2021, that year was already somewhat better compared to 2019. The number of road deaths increased down by 13 percent. Unfortunately, there were still 19,896 deaths due to a traffic accident.

According to the ACEA, the Netherlands ranks fourth among the countries with the fewest road fatalities (proportionately). There were 29 fatalities per million inhabitants, also a decrease of 13 percent compared to 2019. Within the EU, only Ireland (27 deaths per million), Denmark (22) and Sweden (20) did better. Romania fared worst; there were 92 deaths per million inhabitants. Bulgaria (81), Latvia (78) and Croatia (72) are also not well represented. In absolute numbers, France had the most road deaths. 2,944 people lost their lives in French traffic in 2021. Italy follows next with 2,874 deaths and Germany comes next, with 2,562 road deaths.

The greatest improvement is visible in Malta, where there were no fewer than 43.8 percent fewer road deaths in 2021 than in 2019. In Denmark, the number fell by 34.7 percent and Latvia recorded 20.4 percent fewer road deaths than two years earlier. All in all, Denmark has its affairs in order. Not only is the number of road deaths there now almost at the lowest level in the EU, the situation has also improved considerably in a short time.