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On Tuesday 21 February 2023, the European Commission published preliminary figures on road fatalities for 2022.

Around 20,600 people were killed in road accidents in the European Union (EU) last year, a 3% increase compared to 2021 as traffic levels recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic. However, this still represented 2,000 fewer fatalities (-10%) compared to the pre-pandemic year 2019. The EU and United Nations (UN) target is to halve the number of road deaths by 2030.

As the European Commission noted, progress has been uneven between EU Member States. The largest decrease in road deaths were reported in Lithuania and Poland (down by more than 30%), as well as in Denmark (down by 23%). By contrast, over the last three years, the number of road deaths in countries such as Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden has remained rather stable or has even risen. The EU average was 46 road deaths per million inhabitants.

The country profiles compiled by the European Road Safety Observatory aim to give an overview of the road safety situation in each country.

Main findings of the Luxembourg report 2023

Road safety:

• In 2020, 26 people were killed in Luxembourg in reported road accidents;

• Luxembourg ranked 13th out of the 27 EU countries for the lowest number of deaths per million inhabitants;

• Compared to the EU average, the distribution of fatalities in Luxembourg showed a relatively high proportion of motorised two-wheelers and fatalities occurring on motorways.

Road safety performance indicators:

• Luxembourg had the highest self-reported frequency in Europe for speeding and drink-driving;

• The density of motorways in Luxembourg was very high compared to the EU average;

• The car fleet was larger than the EU average and passenger cars were considerably younger.

Road safety policy and measures:

• In Luxembourg, drink-driving enforcement was perceived as less effective than in other EU countries;

• The self-reported frequency of alcohol and drug checks in Luxembourg was lower than the European average.