The number of deaths on Portugal’s roads rose 14% in 2017 compared to the previous year, the second highest increase recorded in the European Union (EU) where the numbers fell by 2% overall.
According to preliminary data released by Brussels, Portugal’s 14% increase was second only to Cyprus where road deaths increased 15% over the year.
The European road death decline has now reached 20% since 2010 when the average number of fatalities on Portuguese roads was 80 per million, and in the EU, 63 per million.
Sweden (25 deaths per million inhabitants), the United Kingdom (27), the Netherlands (31) and Denmark (32) reported the best results in 2017.
In relation to 2016, Estonia and Slovenia reported the largest decrease in the number of fatalities, respectively -32% and -20%.