Romania still has the highest death rate from road accidents in EU
About 18,800 persons died following a road accident last year in EU, an unprecedented annual drop of 17%compared to 2019, according to data published by the European Commission on Tuesday.
Figures show that 4,000 lives were spared on EU roads in 2020 compared to 2019.
Although the unprecedented evolution of 2020 determined certain changes in the classification of death rates per countries, the most secure roads are in Sweden (18 deaths caused by road accidents per one million people), while in Romania (85 deaths caused by road accidents per one million people) recorded the highest death rate in 2020. The EU average was 42 deaths per one million people.
According to provisional figures published on Tuesday by the EU executive, 18 member states recorded a drop of the number of mortal road accidents in 2020. At EU level, the number of deaths dropped y 17% against 2019, although the drop was far from being a uniform one, the highest drops (20% or more) being in Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Spain, France, Croatia, Italy, Hungary, Malta and Slovenia. In exchange, 5 member states (Estonia, Ireland, Latvia, Luxembourg and Finland) registered an increase of the number of deaths, although their number tends to fluctuate every year in small countries.
In Romania's case, the drop was 12%, from 96 deaths caused by road accidents per one million inhabitants in 2019 to 85 deaths caused by road accidents per 1 million people in 2020.
In 2020, there was a single road accident with one death in Liechtenstein (compared to zero deaths in 2010 and 2019).
In the previous decade, between 2010 and 2020, the number of deaths caused by road accidents dropped by 36% in EU, from 67 to 42 deaths caused by road accidents per one million people, a drop which does not reach the objective established for the respective decade, that is the reduction by 50% of the number of deaths. However, with 42 mortal death accident per one million people, EU remains the continent with the safest roads in the world. The world average is over 180.
Between 2010 and 2020 in Romania, the number of deaths caused by road accidents dropped by 31% from 117 to 85 deaths per one million people.
According to the European Commission, the drop of traffic volumes, as a result of Covid 19 pandemic has major impact on the number of mortal road accidents. However, early figures show that in USA, the number of mortal accidents grew in 2020, despite the reduction of traffic volumes. Statistics made in certain EU countries also show an increase of more risky behaviors.
Bicycle riding knew a significant popularity increase in many world countries. This encouraging evolution may have a positive impact on air quality and climate changes and at the same time, it sets up new challenges in road safety.
At Eu level, about 70% of mortal road accidents in urban areas involve vulnerable road participants, among which pedestrians, motor bike and bike riders. Road safety approach in the rural area is a key field of interest, and the Commission wants to make sure that road safety is taken into account in all stages of urban mobility. Road safety will be an important element of the new initiative on urban mobility which will be presented in the Commission this year.