European road safety study: Latvia remains among higher-risk countries
A new study shows that Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania are the most dangerous countries for driving in Europe, while Latvia remains above the EU average for road deaths. Latvia has improved its figures by 37% in ten years, but still records about 63 fatalities per million people.
During the summer holiday season, drivers heading abroad should bear in mind that road safety conditions across Europe vary considerably. In a new study by Vignette Switzerland, a company that sells Swiss electronic road vignettes, researchers looked at the number of traffic fatalities per million residents in different countries.
According to the findings, Serbia has the worst record, with 74 deaths per million people – 72% above the European Union average. This is the second year in a row Serbia has ranked first, although the latest figures show a slight improvement compared with the previous year. Bulgaria follows with 71 deaths per million, while Romania ranks third with 68.
Several popular tourist destinations, such as Portugal, Greece, Italy and France, are also among the ten most dangerous countries for driving. In contrast, Norway and Sweden are among the safest, with 19 deaths per million – almost four times lower than in Serbia.
The study also highlights significant progress in several countries. Lithuania has reduced its road death toll by 43% over the past decade, while Latvia, Bulgaria, Greece and Hungary have recorded improvements of 37%, 36%, 35% and 30% respectively. By comparison, Portugal has improved by only 1%, and France by 6% since 2015.
Despite the positive trend, Latvia remains among the higher-risk countries. According to 2024 data, about 63 people per million residents die on Latvian roads, while the EU average is around 45. In the safest European countries, such as Sweden and Norway, the figure is about 20 or less.
Experts advise travellers to familiarise themselves with the traffic rules of the country they are visiting, plan their route carefully and drive with extra caution on unfamiliar roads.
