Skip to main content

Improvement in road safety in many counties worldwide

Official data shows an improvement in road safety across Europe as well as many other key nations worldwide. Of the 36 nations worldwide contributing data on road safety, the consensus is that conditions are improving, albeit with greater effect in some countries. Some countries have been particularly effective in reducing road deaths in this period, most notably Iceland which has seen a drop of 71.9% in road deaths. Spain, Denmark, Portugal and Ireland have also seen huge improvements in road safety with
April 13, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Official data shows an improvement in road safety across Europe as well as many other key nations worldwide. Of the 36 nations worldwide contributing data on road safety, the consensus is that conditions are improving, albeit with greater effect in some countries.

Some countries have been particularly effective in reducing road deaths in this period, most notably Iceland which has seen a drop of 71.9% in road deaths. Spain, Denmark, Portugal and Ireland have also seen huge improvements in road safety with reductions in road deaths of 67.1%, 66.5%, 65% and 61% respectively.

In all, 14 countries have seen a drop in road deaths in the 55-45% range during this period. These are France, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Germany Sweden, Greece, the Czech Republic, Japan, the UK, Hungary, Italy, Belgium, South Korea and Austria.

Some countries have been less successful however in cutting road deaths, with Jamaica achieving a drop of 22.2%, the USA a drop of 20%, Chile a drop of 10.3% and Colombia a drop of just 9.6%. Most shocking of all however is the figure for Malaysia, which has seen a 14.6% increase in road deaths during the 200-20012 period.

Related Content

  • Analysing intelligent speed adaptation benefits
    April 12, 2012
    Oliver Carsten, Professor of Transport Safety at the Institute for Transport Studies (ITS) at the University of Leeds, UK, discusses Intelligent Speed Adaptation, looking at its safety potential
  • A strategy to boost road safety worldwide
    March 20, 2020
    A strategy is being established to boost road safety worldwide.
  • Improving safety for cyclists
    November 29, 2013
    New systems in development for protecting vulnerable road users - Mike Woof writes In many European countries the number of people using bicycles for commuting are increasing. This is being actively encouraged by city authorities as it offers an effective way to reduce traffic congestion, lower exhaust emissions and also improve public health. The Netherlands and Denmark have long had high percentages of commuters opting to use bicycles and other European countries are looking to capitalise on the experienc
  • Improving safety for cyclists
    November 15, 2013
    New systems in development for protecting vulnerable road users - Mike Woof writes In many European countries the number of people using bicycles for commuting are increasing. This is being actively encouraged by city authorities as it offers an effective way to reduce traffic congestion, lower exhaust emissions and also improve public health. The Netherlands and Denmark have long had high percentages of commuters opting to use bicycles and other European countries are looking to capitalise on the experienc