New EU figures show 3% dip in road deaths

New data released by the European Commission reveal a 3% decrease in road deaths across the EU in 2025. While any reduction in loss of life is welcome, ETSC warns that this marginal improvement is far from the step-change needed to reach the 2030 goal of halving road deaths.

According to the preliminary figures, 19,400 people were killed on EU roads last year – roughly 580 fewer than in 2024. However, with the EU currently tracking a mere 15% reduction since 2019, the bloc remains significantly behind the 4.6% annual decrease required to meet its safety targets.

The data highlight a widening gap in safety performance across Member States:

• Successes: Estonia (-38%) and Greece (-22%) recorded the most significant improvements last year.
• Stagnation: Several large Member States have seen progress flatten or even reverse, leaving only a handful of nations – including Poland, Denmark, and Belgium – on a clear path toward the 2030 target.

The ETSC maintains that these figures cannot be viewed in isolation. As we detailed last month, the momentum for road safety is currently being stifled by a new wave of deregulation at the EU level.

ETSC’s analysis of the latest trends in road safety across the EU will be published in its annual Road Safety Performance Index report in June.