EU Road Deaths Down Slightly in 2023

Road deaths in the EU dropped slightly in 2023, with 20,380 fatalities — a 1.3% decrease from 2022 — according to new Eurostat figures. Over the past decade, the toll has fallen by 16%, but disparities between member states remain stark, CE Report quotes Agerpres

Countries like Bulgaria, Romania, and Latvia recorded over 50 deaths per million residents, while Sweden and Denmark saw the lowest rates. Preliminary 2024 data suggests a further 3% decline in fatalities.

Men accounted for nearly 75% of road deaths from 2013 to 2023. Experts link this to riskier behavior such as speeding, alcohol consumption, and less frequent seatbelt use. In Spain, alcohol contributes to over a quarter of fatal crashes.

Public outcry has grown in high-risk countries. In Bulgaria, the death of a 12-year-old girl in March sparked nationwide protests demanding stricter traffic laws. Authorities there now aim to reduce casualties by 20% through targeted safety upgrades and weekly accident hotspot updates.

Other EU states are also tightening rules. Italy recently boosted penalties for phone and alcohol-related offenses and is reforming licensing for 15-year-old drivers of low-speed vehicles. Slovenia, meanwhile, is on track to halve road deaths by 2030 through its Vision Zero strategy.

At the EU level, new legislation proposes mandatory inspections for electric and older vehicles, cross-border data sharing, and bloc-wide driving bans for serious offenders. The EU aims to cut road deaths by 50% by 2030 and reach near-zero by 2050.