"European policymakers have set themselves ambitious long-term goals: to halve road deaths by 2030 and move towards zero fatalities by 2050. However, based on current trends, achieving these goals requires acceleration in both policy and behavior," Euronews comments on the European Commission's data.
According to the latest data published by the European Commission, around 19,940 people died on EU roads in 2024. Latvia ranks 4th in the EU for the number of deaths in road traffic accidents per million inhabitants.
Dangerous Villages
Rural roads remain the most dangerous segment of the road network, accounting for the majority of fatalities. In 2024, more than half of all deaths—around 10,600—occurred outside urban areas.
Factors such as higher average speeds, less safe infrastructure, and longer emergency response times have contributed to the increased risk levels in these regions.
The urban environment presents a different but equally complex safety issue. Although the overall speed of traffic is lower, more road users are at risk in cities.
Pedestrians, cyclists, and motorcyclists together make up an increasing share of those killed in road incidents. In 2024, there were over 2,500 pedestrian fatalities, more than 1,000 cyclists, and about 1,360 motorcyclists.
Uneven Progress
Significant disparities persist between EU countries. Northern and Western European countries such as Sweden, Denmark, and Luxembourg demonstrate some of the lowest road mortality rates in the world.
In countries like Bulgaria, Romania, and Poland, mortality rates remain significantly higher—sometimes up to four times higher than in the safest countries.
In Latvia, 63 road deaths per million inhabitants were recorded in 2024, placing the country fourth in the EU after Bulgaria (70), Romania (67), and Croatia (65).
However, it is not all bad when looking at these figures in a global context. On average, there are 174 road deaths per million inhabitants worldwide per year.
