EU road safety statistics for 2015 call for fresh efforts to save lives on EU roads
26, 000 people lost their lives on EU roads last year, 5, 500 fewer than in 2010. There is however no improvement at EU level compared to 2014. In addition, the Commission estimates that 135, 000 people were seriously injured on EU roads.
The average EU fatality rate for 2015 was 51.5 road deaths per 1 million inhabitants, similar to the past two years. The slowdown to reduce fatalities has several contributing factors, such as a higher interaction between unprotected and motorised road users in our cities.
Reducing serious injuries
Vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, etc.) also account for a large proportion of the 135 000 people the Commission estimates were injured. This is the first time the Commission publishes such a figure, as EU Member States have started to report comparable and reliable data on serious road traffic injuries. The Commission calls this "a first step towards a European approach to serious injuries".
Additional efforts needed
Polis in cooperation with the European Transport Safety Council and other stakeholders has long been calling to set a target to reduce serious injuries that are of particular importance for urban areas. Also to reach the EU strategic target of halving the number of road deaths from 2010 to 2020, additional efforts are needed.
More information
- European Commission Press Release, 31 March 2016
- European Commission Fact sheet: "2015 road safety statistics: What is behind the figures?"
- ETSC Press Release "Urgent action needed on road safety as new figures show increase in deaths"