The Road Safety Trust calls for continued momentum behind the Government’s Road Safety Strategy following new European report
A major new European road safety report has underlined the scale of action needed to reduce deaths and serious injuries on the roads.
Published today, the European Transport Safety Council’s 20th Road Safety Performance Index report shows that around 19,500 people were killed on EU roads in 2025 and more than 100,000 were seriously injured. Road deaths across the EU have fallen by 15% since 2019, when a reduction of around 31% was needed to remain on track to halve deaths by 2030.
The report compares road safety performance across 31 countries, including the United Kingdom, and highlights the importance of sustained action, investment and accountability if ambitious road safety targets are to be achieved.
While long-term progress has saved lives, the report makes clear that recent reductions are not happening quickly enough. Since the PIN programme launched in 2006, more than 500,000 people have died on Europe’s roads, although the toll would have been around 280,000 higher had deaths continued at their 2006 rate.
The findings underline the need for urgent, sustained action across Europe, including in this country. They follow the release last month of the latest road casualty statistics for Great Britain, which provided a stark reminder that progress remains fragile and uneven.
The ETSC report notes that the Government published a new Road Safety Strategy for Great Britain in 2026, the first in more than a decade. It sets an ambition to reduce the number of people killed or seriously injured on Great Britain’s roads by 65% by 2035, including a 70% reduction for children under 16.
The Road Safety Trust has welcomed the ambition set out in the new Strategy and remains committed to supporting its effective implementation. Earlier this year, the Trust brought together leaders from across the road safety sector to consider the action needed to deliver the Strategy’s objectives. The resulting Consensus Statement, published last month, set out constructive, practical support for Government in turning ambition into sustained delivery.
Ruth Purdie OBE, Chief Executive of The Road Safety Trust, said: “The latest report from ETSC is a timely reminder of the challenges we face to achieve the shared ambition of zero deaths and serious injuries on UK roads. Those European countries that have made the greatest gains have done so through sustained leadership, clear targets, investment and practical delivery over many years.
“The UK Government’s new Road Safety Strategy for Great Britain sets an ambitious direction of travel. At a time of political change, it is vital that momentum behind that strategy is maintained and translated into action.
“Reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on our roads by 65% by 2035 will require more than ambition. It will require sustained cross-government commitment, accountability and investment in the measures that we know can save lives.”
For the full report visit www.etsc.eu/pin20
22 June 2026