Research with bad news for the Netherlands: 10 European countries where driving is the most dangerous
Driving is always associated with risks. Even if you drive as well and safely as possible, an accident can still happen. In some countries the risk of a fatal accident is higher than in others. These are the ten most dangerous European countries to drive in.
Vignette Switzerland has analyzed the figures for fatal accidents on European roads. These figures are maintained by the European Road Safety Council.
Explore the ten most dangerous European countries to drive in
The number of traffic deaths per million inhabitants is examined. Although this number gives an idea of which European countries are the most dangerous to drive in, there is a caveat. Countries where more cars are driven and public transport is less popular, for example, are more likely to have more accidents per million inhabitants. There are no figures for traffic accidents per million active drivers.
Only news for the Netherlands and Malta
The figures from the study of the most dangerous European countries for driving are from 2022. The good news is that driving has become safer in almost all countries compared to 2012. The number of traffic deaths per million inhabitants has fallen almost everywhere. However, the number of road deaths increased in two countries: Malta (131.52 percent) and the Netherlands (7.84 percent).
The most dangerous European country to drive in
However, the Netherlands and Malta are not among the most dangerous European countries to drive. Romania is in first place. In 2012, 95.62 people died in road traffic per million inhabitants. In 2022, this number will be 85.81. That’s significantly less, but still the highest in Europe.
| position | country | Road deaths per million inhabitants (2012) | Traffic deaths per million inhabitants (2022) | Percentage change 2012-2022 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Romania | 95.62 | 85.81 | -10.26% |
| 2 | Serbia | 95.01 | 82.65 | -13.01% |
| 3 | Bulgaria | 82.62 | 77.64 | -6.02% |
| 4 | Croatia | 91.91 | 71.20 | -22.53% |
| 5 | Portugal | 68.11 | 62.30 | -8.53% |
| 6 | Greece | 87.51 | 60.71 | -30.63% |
| 7 | Latvia | 86.69 | 60.24 | -30.51% |
| 8th | Luxembourg | 64.78 | 55.78 | -13.89% |
| 9 | Hungary | 60.76 | 55.22 | -9.12% |
| 10 | Italy | 61.71 | 53.70 | -12.97% |
If we look at the Netherlands, less than half of the people per million inhabitants die in traffic (41.90) compared to Romania. Are you going on vacation this spring or summer? So pay special attention to driving in these most dangerous European countries and make sure you know the traffic rules of the countries you are going to visit.