In 2022, 20,600 people died on European Union (EU) roads. Portugal recorded a rate of 63 deaths per million inhabitants and is the fourth highest of the member states, well above the EU average of 46 or nearby countries such as Spain (36 deaths per million inhabitants) and France (49). Worse, only Romania (86), Bulgaria (78) and Croatia (71), reveals Jornal de Notícias.
According to data released by the European Commission, Portugal increased the number of deaths per million inhabitants from 54 to 63 between 2021 and 2022, an increase of more than 16%. The other 13 countries also recorded increases. The Commission attributed this worsening to the increase in traffic after the pandemic.
Relative to 2019, “Portugal recorded a 5% decrease in the road accident fatality rate in 2022. However, the average reduction in the EU was 10%. Four countries (Malta, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Ireland) increased deaths compared to 2019 and five others (Estonia, Spain, France, Italy and Sweden) had smaller decreases than Portugal. But in the nine states, fewer people per million inhabitants died,” reads the news release.
According to JN, the European Commission will present in the coming weeks a package of proposals on road safety to make roads less dangerous.
