ZAGREB, 25 March (Hina) –  In the European Union, around 19,400 road deaths were recorded in 2025, 3% fewer than the year before, while Croatia remains among the countries with higher fatality rates, according to preliminary data from the European Commission.

Although there were 580 fewer fatalities across the EU compared with 2024, the Commission warns that sustained efforts are still needed, as most member states, despite overall improvement, are not currently on track to meet the strategic target of reducing the number of deaths and serious injuries by 50% by 2030.

Data for Croatia show that the country ranks in the upper half of the table in terms of mortality, above the EU average of 43 deaths per million inhabitants. Between 2019 and 2025, Croatia reduced the number of fatalities by 12%, which is also below the European average of 15%.

The largest reductions were recorded in Estonia, by 38% and Greece, by 22%.

According to available data, Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Poland and Romania are currently on track to achieve the goal of reducing fatalities by 50% by 2030.

The safest roads are still found in Sweden and Denmark, with 20 and 23 deaths per million inhabitants respectively.

It is estimated that for every person killed, five are seriously injured, meaning that around 100,000 people in the EU suffer serious injuries in road traffic accidents each year.