The rate of road traffic fatalities in Malta throughout 2022 increased by almost 10 times more than in any other EU country.

Data published by the European Commission revealed the dire state of road safety in Malta.

The rate of fatalities in Malta increased by 189% between 2021 and 2022. No other country registered an increase higher than 20%, which was recorded in the Netherlands.

Malta had a road fatality rate of 50 per million inhabitants in 2022, up from 17 in 2021 and 21 in 2020, two years in which road fatalities decreased across Europe in part because of a decrease in traffic during the pandemic.

Malta experienced 26 road fatalities in 2022, making it the deadliest year on record.

At 50  per million inhabitants, Malta’s fatality rate was the 11th highest registered in Europe. This was significantly lower than the 86 deaths per million inhabitants registered in Romania, but higher than the EU average of 46.

In 2019 (pre-pandemic), Malta’s fatality rate was 32 road deaths per million inhabitants.

Fatalities increased across the EU, still below pre-pandemic levels

In total, road fatalities across the EU increased by 3%, rising to almost 20,000 deaths throughout the year. This figure is 10% lower than that registered in 2019.

Almost 9,000 victims across Europe were car occupants, with a further 3,200 being pedestrians struck by cars, vans, trucks or buses.

The EU is aiming to reduce road fatalities by 50% by 2030 and ultimately reach zero road deaths by 2050.

Concern over road accidents

A recent study by the Faculty for Social Wellbeing found that 80% of people are concerned about the frequency of serious traffic accidents.

There have been 83 road deaths since 2018, 29 of which involved the death of pedestrians, 14 of them aged over 65.

The government recently announced tougher penalties for drivers caught breaking traffic regulations in an attempt to fight road deaths. 

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