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Fewer deaths, more seriously injured – annual summary on Norwegian roads
The vast majority of last year's victims in Norway were men. [illustrative photo] stock.adobe.com/licencja standardowa
Last year, 87 people died in road accidents in Norway. That's 23 fewer than in 2023. Unfortunately, the "vision zero" goal is still far away. Statistics regarding injuries also do not inspire optimism.
The most important thing is to set ambitious goals. Such a goal is certainly the "vision zero" adopted by the Storting in 2001, which is the dream of having no fatalities in road traffic accidents.
Best in the North
This vision has not yet come true. According to data provided by the SSB statistical office, currently, Norway has 80 percent fewer such deaths than in 1970, but dozens of people still die on Norwegian roads every year.
Moreover, in 2024, the number of seriously injured people was 578, which is 10 more than the previous year. Clearly, the situation is far from ideal.
However, Norway is doing quite well compared to the region – last year's fatality rate was 16 people per million inhabitants, while in Sweden, Denmark, and Finland, it was 20, 24, and 31 deaths per million, respectively.
"Vision zero" is the goal of having no fatalities in road traffic accidents in Norway.Source: Fotolia/Royalty-free
In this respect, Norway is also doing much better than Poland. In our country, 1896 people died in road accidents last year, which translates to 50 people per million inhabitants. This is not only due to the poorer technical condition of our infrastructure. Respect for traffic regulations, including the idea of not exceeding speed limits, is also far less popular in Poland than in Norway... and this is how it ends (as vividly illustrated by the report "Everyone drives like this", which fights the stereotype of "fast but safe driving" – it's worth reading this book).
Who dies most often?
The vast majority of last year's victims in Norway were men – as many as 66 out of 87. Regarding their role in road traffic, most deaths occurred among car drivers (38) and motorcyclists (21). The age group most affected was people aged 45-64. The fewest fatalities were children – in the age group up to 15 years, there were two deaths last year.
Two. Thirty-eight. Sixty-six. Eighty-seven... For now, we meticulously count the victims. But maybe someday we will finally learn to count to zero. Let's hope so.
[advertisement] If you have been injured in a road accident in Norway, you may be entitled to compensation. Check:
Sources: SSB, TV2, Klar Tale, Polskie Radio 24