in-cyprus 19 June 2024
Cyprus and Poland achieved the highest reduction in road deaths across the European Union (EU) over the past five years, according to a report by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) released on Wednesday.
Both countries saw a 35% decrease in road fatalities between 2019 and 2023. However, the EU as a whole fell short of its ambitious target of halving road deaths by 2030 compared to 2019 levels.
The report found that 20,418 people died in road accidents across the EU in 2023, marking only a slight decrease from 2022. To meet the 2030 goal, the EU needs an annual reduction of 6.1% but only managed a 10% decrease from 2019 to 2023.
Despite the overall shortfall, Cyprus stood out for its positive performance. It ranked 12th in the EU for the 2019-2023 period with an 8.1% decrease in road deaths. The island nation also improved its road death rate per capita, dropping from 37 to 34, placing it 6th in the EU.
Furthermore, Cyprus achieved a significant 43% reduction in serious road injuries between 2013 and 2023, the third-highest improvement in the EU.
The report recommends a series of measures for EU member states, including adopting a “Safe System” approach to road safety and implementing national road safety plans with specific targets. It also urges increased public funding for targeted measures and a thorough evaluation of existing strategies.
At the EU level, the ETSC calls for the establishment of a new agency for safe and sustainable transport and the creation of a “Road Safety Envoy” position.
George Morfakis serves as the representative of Cyprus in the Road Safety PIN programme.
