Switzerland’s road deaths have risen by a third over the past five years, even as fatalities have fallen across much of Europe. The country’s accident-prevention bureau (BPA) on Tuesday lamented the trend and called for a more coherent road-safety policy backed by all stakeholders.
According to the BPA, the number of people killed on Swiss roads has increased by 34% since 2019, whereas the European average has dropped by 12%, figures from the European Transport Safety Council show. Over a decade, the contrast is also stark: deaths are up by 2.9% in Switzerland, but down 17% across Europe.
A grim milestone
In 2024, 250 people died on Swiss roads—14 more than in 2023 and the highest toll since 2015. Serious injuries, however, fell from 4,096 to 3,792. By comparison, France recorded 3,193 road deaths last year, a slight rise of 0.8%, while Italy’s toll was stable at 3,030.
Politics on the wrong track
Despite the recent uptick, Swiss roads remain among Europe’s safest. Yet, warns the BPA, a country once lauded for its progress in traffic safety is slipping down the rankings. The bureau urges “strong measures”, noting that effective tools exist but their implementation “depends on political will”. It blames some parliamentary decisions for undermining safety—such as lowering the minimum age for motorbike licences, which has more than doubled serious accidents among riders under 18.
While many European countries expand 30 km/h zones, Switzerland is tightening restrictions on introducing them. Swiss lawmakers have also rejected making helmets compulsory for child cyclists.
For context, Switzerland remains one of Europe’s safest nations, ranking 7th out of 32 countries, with a 2024 road related death rate of 28 per million inhabitants. The average European was 45 and ranged from 16 (Norway) to 78 (Serbia).
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BPA press release (in French) – Take a 5 minute French test now
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