Fastest-Improving Road Safety

Ranked by percentage change in the road traffic death rate over roughly two decades of World Bank data (mirroring WHO estimates). The countries at the top have cut their death rates by half or more — proof that road deaths are not fate but policy. The recipe repeats: safer road engineering, strict speed and alcohol enforcement, better vehicles, faster trauma care.

#	Country	Change since 2000	Rate /100k	Est. deaths / year	Est. 2026 so far
1	Qatar	-73.4%	5.3	143	111
2	Spain	-71.9%	3.7	1,758	1,368
3	Estonia	-71.6%	4.4	62	48
4	Norway	-71.4%	2.1	116	90
5	Ireland	-70.8%	2.9	154	119
6	Japan	-68.8%	2.6	3,237	2,520
7	Latvia	-68.7%	7.4	141	109
8	Slovenia	-67.5%	4.9	103	80
9	Switzerland	-66.9%	2.6	229	178
10	Lithuania	-64.7%	6.5	182	141
11	Bahrain	-64.5%	7.5	113	87
12	Belgium	-64%	4.8	562	437
13	Singapore	-63.1%	1.8	106	82
14	Denmark	-62.4%	3.1	183	142
15	Austria	-60.3%	4.6	419	326
16	France	-59.8%	5	3,410	2,655
17	Belarus	-59.7%	7.8	718	559
18	Italy	-59.6%	5.2	3,063	2,385
19	Portugal	-59.4%	6.8	694	540
20	South Korea	-59%	5.9	3,050	2,375
21	Slovakia	-58.7%	5.7	308	239
22	Czech Republic	-58.3%	5.6	605	471
23	Germany	-56.4%	3.7	3,127	2,434
24	Israel	-56.4%	3.9	378	294
25	United Kingdom	-56.2%	2.9	1,963	1,528
26	Russia	-55.5%	10.9	15,740	12,256
27	Greece	-53.8%	8.2	853	664
28	Sweden	-53%	2.2	233	181
29	Cyprus	-52.2%	5.1	66	51
30	Finland	-49.8%	3.9	218	169
31	Moldova	-47.8%	9.7	243	189
32	Australia	-47.3%	4.5	1,197	932
33	Poland	-47.1%	7.4	2,723	2,120
34	Oman	-45.6%	10.7	492	383
35	Netherlands	-44.6%	3.8	676	526
36	Croatia	-44.4%	7.7	300	233
37	South Africa	-44.3%	24.5	14,798	11,523
38	Hungary	-43.7%	6.9	662	515
39	Canada	-43.2%	5.3	2,125	1,654
40	El Salvador	-40.3%	22.1	1,414	1,101
41	Ukraine	-40.1%	13	4,771	3,715
42	Cuba	-39%	8.5	952	741
43	United Arab Emirates	-38.2%	6.6	627	488
44	Kuwait	-33.5%	10.7	460	358
45	Trinidad and Tobago	-31.5%	11.6	174	135
46	Serbia	-30.8%	7.2	482	375
47	Iran	-29.7%	21.7	19,356	15,072
48	Nigeria	-29.2%	21.6	48,341	37,642
49	Bulgaria	-27.8%	8.9	570	443
50	North Macedonia	-26.8%	6.4	134	104

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Questions

FAQ

Which country has improved road safety the most?

Among countries with two decades of World Bank data, the strongest improvers include several European and East Asian countries that have cut death rates by 50% or more since 2000 — led by the Safe System countries (Spain, Portugal, the Baltics, South Korea). The table above shows the full ranking.

Why do road deaths fall in some countries and rise in others?

Falling rates almost always mean deliberate policy: safer road design, enforced speed and alcohol limits, mandatory vehicle standards and faster trauma care. Rising rates usually mean motorization outpacing safety — vehicle fleets doubling while enforcement and infrastructure stand still.

All figures are statistical estimates from WHO published rates — see the full methodology. Citing this table? Link back to this page as the source.