2021 EU road safety figures remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels

The European Commission has published preliminary figures on 2021 road accidents, confirming a significant decrease of fatalities (-13%) compared to pre-pandemic levels. According to the European Commission, “nine Member States (Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Cyprus, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Portugal and Sweden) registered their lowest ever number of road fatalities in 2021”.

The overall ranking of countries’ fatality rates has not changed significantly, with the safest roads being found in Sweden (18 fatalities per one million inhabitants). The EU yearly average was 44 road deaths per million inhabitants.

The long-term trend confirms the declining path: over the last decade, road fatalities have decreased by 36% EU-wide. The European Union, which has set the target of zero road fatalities by 2050, shows to be on the right path to also achieving the ambitious milestone of reducing road deaths by 50% by 2030.

By developing ever more sophisticated safety technologies, automotive suppliers are at the forefront of this mission and actively contributing to making roads safer for all users.Source: European Commission