in-cyprus 24 June 2025 - by Michalis Hadjivasilis
Cyprus has dropped from 6th to 13th place in European Union road safety rankings after recording a 21% increase in road deaths in 2024, marking the second-largest increase among the 27 EU member states.
However, the country achieved significant success in reducing serious road injuries, leading the EU with a 51% reduction over the decade 2014-2024, according to the 19th annual Road Safety PIN Report published today by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC).
The report covers 27 EU member states as well as Switzerland, Israel, Norway, Serbia and the United Kingdom.
EU-wide road safety challenges
Across the EU, 20,017 people lost their lives on roads in 2024, representing only a 2% decrease from 2023. This falls far short of the required annual 6.1% reduction needed to achieve the EU’s target of a 50% reduction by 2030.
Cyprus recorded an increase from 34 to 41 road deaths between 2023 and 2024. Only 21 of the 32 countries participating in the PIN programme recorded a decrease in road deaths during this period.
Progress since 2019
Compared to 2019, the baseline year for the European 2030 target, 25 of the 32 PIN countries recorded reductions in road deaths by 2024. Lithuania and Poland share the lead with 35% reductions, whilst Cyprus achieved a 21% reduction.
The EU27 overall recorded only a 12% reduction, far below the necessary 27% required to meet the target. Over the past decade, the EU27 recorded a 17.2% reduction in road deaths, whilst Cyprus achieved only an 8.9% reduction.
Serious injury reduction success
Cyprus recorded the highest reduction in serious road injuries in the EU24 (countries providing data) from 2014 to 2024, with a 51.6% decrease. The EU24 average reduction was only 13.8% over this period.
Only 16 of the 27 countries collecting data recorded reductions in serious injuries. Cyprus was one of only 11 EU27 countries that managed to reduce both road deaths and serious injuries from 2014 to 2024.
The report also makes special mention of Cyprus’s target to achieve 100% of ideal ambulance arrival times at road collision sites by 2030.
Road death rates
Cyprus recorded a road death rate of 42 per million population in 2024, compared to the EU27 average of 45. The country fell to 13th place (alongside Lithuania) among EU member states.
Norway wins safety award
The annual “2025 Road Safety PIN Award” was awarded to Norway, recognising its consistent commitment to road safety and long-term success in reducing road deaths. Norway remains the safest country for road users among the 32 PIN countries, with only 16 deaths per million population.
The award recognises Norway’s comprehensive strategies, including the National Road Safety Action Plan 2022-2025 “Towards Vision Zero,” featuring 179 measures across 15 priority areas, and legislative reforms requiring mandatory in-depth investigation of all fatal road collisions.
Giorgos Morfakis represents Cyprus in the Road Safety PIN programme.
