After the death of a boy in the Talsi region, experts once again spoke about the grim statistics of child mortality on the roads of Latvia. In recent years, about ten children die in traffic accidents each year — this is approximately one in ten fatalities in accidents.
The death of a child in Mersrags has once again drawn attention to one of the most painful problems of Latvian roads — the high mortality rate of children in traffic accidents.
According to traffic safety specialists, the situation has hardly improved in recent years. In 2025, 10 children died in accidents. The same number was recorded in 2023. In 2024, nine minors became victims of traffic accidents.
Oscar Irbitis, an expert from the Road Traffic Safety Directorate, emphasizes that this is an extremely high figure for Latvia. According to him, children make up about 10% of all fatalities in road traffic accidents in the country.
“This is a very large number, considering the size of our country and the number of residents,” specialists note.
The State Police also believe that responsibility in such situations primarily lies with the adult participants in traffic.
According to Juris Jančevskis, the Deputy Head of the Main Public Order Police Department, drivers must always consider that a child on the road represents a potentially unpredictable situation.
Experts remind us that children can suddenly run onto the roadway, appear from behind a parked car, or sharply change their direction of movement.
That is why, near schools, yards, bus stops, and residential areas, drivers need to reduce their speed in advance — even if the rules are not formally violated.
“We must be able to anticipate the unpredictability of a child,” emphasizes Irbitis.
Specialists specifically point out that a child is physically unable to fully assess the risks of road traffic as an adult can. Therefore, even in cases where the minor violates the rules, the moral and actual responsibility still lies with the adults.
After each such tragedy in Latvia, discussions about safety near schools, the quality of road infrastructure, and driving culture begin anew. Experts believe that a more systematic approach to working with children and parents — not only at home but also in schools — could change the situation.
Moreover, as specialists note, children often begin to draw their parents' attention to traffic rule violations if they receive quality safety education.
For Latvia, the problem is particularly sensitive also because it is a small country with a declining population — each such tragedy causes a strong public resonance.
Leave a comment