Bulgaria had highest road fatality rate in EU in 2023

Bulgaria had the highest road fatality rate in the European Union in 2023, according to preliminary data of the European Commission published today March 8. The EU average is 46 deaths per million inhabitants. In Bulgaria, the ratio is 82 fatalities per million inhabitants. Romania comes second with 81 victims per million inhabitants.

The safest roads are still found in Sweden, where there are 22 deaths per million inhabitants. Denmark comes second with 27 road deaths per million.

Last year, around 20,400 people died in road accidents in the EU, down by 1% compared to 2022. Despite some progress, the EC reports that few Member States are on track to meet the EU and UN target of halving the number of road deaths by 2030.

Figures show that 52% of road deaths occurred on rural roads, 38% in urban areas and 9% on motorways.

The trend in the number of cyclists killed on roads is worrying. This is the only major road user group that has not seen a decline in fatalities over the last decade, mainly due to the continued lack of adequate infrastructure and dangerous behaviour by all road users, such as speeding, distraction and driving under the influence of alcohol and drugs.