It is much quieter on the Dutch roads because of the corona crisis. Nevertheless, the number of road deaths that have been regretted in the past period is almost the same as the same period last year.
We work en masse at home and go out less. This is also evident from the traffic pressure, because only recently the traffic on the roads has returned to two-thirds of the normal traffic. You would say that it should have a positive effect on the road casualties. Nothing could be further from the truth, unfortunately. It AD reports based on figures from traffic bureau VIA that during the heyday of the ‘intelligent lockdown’ (April 16 to 26), there were almost as many road deaths as a year earlier: 62 this year compared to 65 last year.
The fact that things have still often gone wrong has to do with the changed circumstances, according to the police and VIA. People pay less attention now that it is quieter, there are many more motorcyclists on the road and many people take the bicycle. Less alert road behavior, a larger share of vulnerable road users and that in combination with more extremely fast-driving road abusers. The police indicate that they are adjusting traffic controls, because it is now less relevant at the usual times. Most injuries or fatalities in traffic are now outside rush hour and on weekends.