“Considering the data on overall road accident rates for the first half of 2025, there was a reduction of 12 fatalities (-6.6%) compared to the same period in 2024,” stated the GNR in its traffic enforcement report up to June.
In a statement, the military force noted an increase of 1,131 accidents, an additional 14 serious injuries, and 177 more minor injuries. During the periods analyzed, the districts with the highest number of accidents were Porto (6,419), Aveiro (4,319), Lisbon (4,479), and Braga (4,054).
“In 2025, collisions continued to be the most registered type of accident, with 28,767 occurrences (+2.2%) and 78 fatalities. There was a slight reduction in fatalities in the 11,849 detected accidents (+4.7%) from skidding,” it highlighted.
The GNR, however, observed a decrease in pedestrian accidents, with 756 incidents (-3.6%) and nine deaths, 15 fewer than in 2024 (-62.5%), as well as a reduction in serious and minor injuries.
Regarding the type of roads where accidents occur, a “pattern” was noted in the first semesters of 2024 and 2025, with the highest number of accidents on urban roads, followed by national roads and highways.
“The roads with the most occurrences were urban ones, with a total of 23,655 accidents in the first half of 2025, representing an increase compared to the 22,837 recorded in the same period of 2024,” it stated, adding there was also a rise in accidents on national roads, from 8,588 in 2024 to 8,572 in 2025.
Similarly, highways also saw a worsening accident rate, with the total number of accidents rising from 4,115 to 4,423.
The GNR reported “significant increases” in nearly all indicators analyzed, highlighting a “clear reinforcement” in enforcement activities.
“In the first half of 2025, 7,281 crimes related to driving under the influence of alcohol were registered, 1,499 more than in 2024 (5,782), representing an increase of approximately 25.9%. Also, crimes related to unlicensed driving increased significantly, from 2,952 to 4,101, an increase of about 38.9%,” it noted.
The number of drivers checked also increased from 1,145,355 to 1,282,676, an increase of about 137,000 drivers (12%).
“This increase in enforcement activity was also reflected in the number of traffic violations detected, which rose from 180,436 in 2024 to 256,052 in 2025, corresponding to a growth of approximately 41.9%,” it stated.
Emphasizing road safety and the reduction of road fatalities as a priority, the GNR reiterated its intention to intensify patrol and enforcement actions throughout the year.
“These actions will have a distinctly preventive aspect, without prejudice to firm intervention in deterring risky behaviors, particularly those related to speeding or performing dangerous maneuvers,” it explained.
The military force also advises all drivers to adjust their speed to weather conditions, road conditions, and traffic volume, to avoid maneuvers that could cause traffic disruption or, in any way, lead to accidents, and to adopt attentive, cautious, and defensive driving to help reduce road accident rates.
