Road deaths in the Netherlands

In 2023, the number of road deaths in the Netherlands amounted to 684. That is 61 less than the 745 road deaths in 2022.

The international definition of a road death is as follows: a casualty who, in or after a crash on a public road in which at least one moving vehicle is involved, dies within thirty days from the consequences of that crash, with the exception of suicides [1]. In the Netherlands, this international definition is also adopted [2].

The number of road deaths is determined by Statistics Netherlands, in close consultation with the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW). Statistics Netherlands analyses data from three different data sources to determine the number of road deaths in the Netherlands:

1. Data from the cause of death forms filled out by a coroner;
2. The district court files on deaths by unnatural causes;
3. The (provisional) Database of Registered Crashes in the Netherlands (in Dutch: BRON), based on police crash reports. The final version of this database is published by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management (IenW).

By linking and comparing these data sources, Statistics Netherlands compiles the total number of road deaths in the Road Death Statistics. This can be seen in Figure 1.

Statistics Netherlands departs from the premise that all road deaths are registered in at least one of the three data sources. Based on analysis of the data, Statistics Netherlands determines the number of road deaths. Double counts are removed, and casualties that should not be included in the road deaths in the Netherlands (such as crashes abroad, crashes off public roads, suicides, natural causes of death) are removed from the database.

Additional information, such as the location of fatal crashes can be found in BRON. However, this database is not complete. Between 2014 and 2023, the registered number of road deaths in BRON was approximately 13% lower than the number determined by Statistics Netherlands in the Road Death Statistics, which is considered to be the real number. In 2023, the BRON registration rate was 89%: 77 of the 684 road deaths (according to Statistics Netherlands) were missing in the BRON database. BRON is known to particularly miss crashes not involving any other parties, or exclusively involving non-motorised traffic, or when a casualty dies at a later date, or when there is confusion about the type of crash (vehicle entering the water, crashes at railways, indisposition, suicide, intent) [3].

Figure 2 shows the development of the number of road deaths according to the Road Death Statistics over the last ten years. As of 2010, there is no clear trend in the number of road deaths.
The 570 road deaths in 2014 (similar to 2013) was the lowest number ever in the Netherlands (see the question How has the number of road deaths in the Netherlands developed since 1950?). The 745 road deaths in 2022 was the highest number in 14 years.

In 2020 and 2021, there were mobility reduction measures in the Netherlands due to COVID-19. As a result, the number of road deaths was probably lower than it would have been without these measures. What we did see is that in 2020 and 2021, despite the mobility reduction measures, the number of road deaths did not decrease significantly [4].

Figure 3 shows the 2023 shares of road deaths by their mode of transport at the time of the crash. In 2023, most road deaths occurred among cyclists (39%, of whom at least 43% were pedelec riders) and car occupants (28%). Powered two-wheelers (a total of 11%) are the third largest group; for nearly six out of ten (59%), these were motorcyclists, and 41% were (light)  moped riders (including speed pedelecs). In 2023, 10% of the road deaths were pedestrians, 8% were mobility scooter riders, and 2% truck or delivery van occupants. Of two road deaths, the mode of transport is either ‘other’ or ‘unknown’.

Figure 4 shows the age distribution of the road deaths in 2023. Almost a quarter of the road deaths (155; 23%) were people aged 80 or over. Almost one in five road deaths was aged 70 or over (143; 21%). What is generally known about the risks of older road users can be found in SWOV fact sheet Older road users. In addition, the number of older people in the entire population is also relevant. The number of road deaths among children and youngsters aged 0-14  was lowest (20; 3%).

In 2023, 72% of the road deaths were males, 28% females.

Most road deaths occur in crashes involving a car: single-car crashes, car-car crashes and bicycle-car crashes (Figure 5). It should be noted, however, that the crash opponent information is based on the number of road deaths registered in BRON while not all road deaths are registered there (see the question How is the number of road deaths in the Netherlands determined?). In 2023, 77 of the 684 real road deaths (according to Statistics Netherlands) are missing from the BRON database. Moreover, mainly crashes without motor vehicle involvement are the ones that are less well registered. Therefore, the number of road deaths in single-bicycle crashes will in fact be higher than shown in Figure 5.

It is known that 47% of the road deaths resulted from a road crash outside the urban area and 42% from a road crash in the urban area (Figure 6). For the remaining 11%, the crash location is not known because location data are only available in BRON and are therefore known only for those road deaths that are registered in BRON. However, not all road deaths are registered in BRON (see the question How is the number of road deaths in the Netherlands determined?). In 2023, 77 (11%) of the 684 real road deaths (according to Statistics Netherlands) are missing from the BRON database, so we do not know where these 77 crashes occurred.

Figure 7 shows the number of road deaths by speed limit. The largest share of road deaths occurs on 50km/h and 80km/h roads (29% and 18%, respectively, of the total number of road deaths). On 60km/h roads, the share of road deaths is also substantial, that is: 17% of the road deaths. On 30km/h roads or roads with lower speed limits, the share is 11% of the total number of road deaths. Finally, on roads with a speed limit of 100, 120 or 130 km/h, the share amounts to 9% of the number of road deaths. Of the remaining road deaths, the crash location or the speed limit at the scene of the accident is not known.

In 2023, 58% of the total number of road deaths occurred on road sections and 30% at intersections (see Figure 8).

Figure 9 shows the 2023 shares of road deaths by road authority. The largest share of road deaths in the Netherlands occurs on municipal roads (62% of the total number of road deaths, followed by regional roads (15% of the total number) and national roads (10% of the total number). The smallest number of road deaths occurs on roads managed by the remaining road authorities, such as water authorities (1% of the total number). These shares not only reflect the degree of hazard on these roads, but also and particularly the number of roads and the amount of traffic on these roads.

Road crashes are usually caused by a combination of factors and thus often have multiple causes [5]. For example, it is known that speeding, drink- and/or drug-driving, driving when fatigued and not wearing a seat belt play a role in the occurrence and/or outcome of (fatal) crashes. Road design, vehicle characteristics and certain circumstances can also contribute to the occurrence of a crash. This picture is confirmed in Dutch in-depth research on fatal crashes (see, for example, [6] and [7]). Crash causes are not (reliably) registered in BRON. Therefore, it cannot be unequivocally determined in how many crashes the various factors played a role.

More information about factors that play a role in (fatal) crashes can be found in various SWOV fact sheets under the Risk theme.

Fatality risk can be expressed as the number of road deaths per km travelled. Fatality risk is highest for powered two-wheelers: (light) moped riders and motorcyclists, about thirty times higher than the risk for car occupants (Figure 10). For cyclists and pedestrians, the risk is eight and six times higher than the death risk for car occupants, respectively, over the 2012-2021 period.

Figure 10 shows two-year averages known for 2012-2021 [i], since the annually calculated risks are to some extent coincidental due to uncertainties in exposure data and numbers of crashes. Most strikingly, the fatality risk for car occupants remained more or less the same over that period, but increased for two-wheelers certainly in the more recent years, and decreased for pedestrians.

Figure 10. Fatality risk (number of road deaths per kilometre travelled) in the Netherlands, for various modes of transport, averaged over two-year periods. Sources: Statistics Netherlands (Road Death Statistics, Dutch Travel Survey (OViN)), On the Road in the Netherlands (ODiN), IenW (Mobility Research Netherlands (MON), adapted by SWOV.

In 1950, there were approximately 1,000 road deaths. Their number steadily increased to over 3,000 in 1972. From 1973 onwards, the annual number of road deaths has decreased gradually. As of 210, there is no clear trend in the number of road deaths.  Figures 11 and 12 show the numbers of road deaths registered by the police between 1950 and 1995, and the numbers of road deaths determined by Statistics Netherlands from 1996 onwards. In Figure 11, the road deaths are stratified by mode of transport, also showing the overall trend in road deaths over time, and Figure 12 shows the number of road deaths by age group, depicted as shares of the total number of road deaths.

Figure 11. Road deaths in the Netherlands since 1950, by mode of transport. *The (light) moped category also includes microcars, mobility scooters and disability vehicles. Sources: Statistics Netherlands (police registration up to and including 1975; Road Death  Statistics from 1996 onwards), IenW (VOR, police registration between 1976 and 1995).

Figure 12. Road deaths in the Netherlands since 1950, by age group (as shares of the annual total). Sources: Statistics Netherlands (police registration up to and including 1975; Road Death Statistics from 1996 onwards), IenW (VOR, police registration between 1976 and 1995).

Among the road deaths in 1950, cyclists and pedestrians were especially numerous. Then, the number of moped riders and, above all, car occupants started to rise, which made these modes of transports more and more significant for the overall picture. Since 1973, the number of road deaths has decreased for virtually all modes of transport; an exception is the slightly deviating development for motorcycles and freight and delivery vehicles; among the road deaths in recent years, cyclists have been the largest group.

Nowadays, road deaths among children (0-14) are relatively scarce: in 2023 there were 20 road deaths in this age group. Between 1950 and 1980, youngsters and, above all, children accounted for a large proportion of the number of road deaths. Presently, older road users are the ones who are increasingly killed in traffic.

Currently, no target has been set for the Netherlands (yet). However, the minister does aim for 0 road casualties in 2050 [9].

The United Nations and the European Union did set targets for the maximum number of road deaths in the near future. Both organisations extended the earlier 50% reduction target dating from 2010, which set the goal of halving the number of road deaths by 2030 compared to the previous 10 years (2019 [i] for the EU [10]; 2021 for the UN [11]). Applying these targets to the Netherlands would mean a maximum number of around 300-350 road deaths in 2030 [ii]. In mid-2021, a motion by Member of Parliament Geurts was passed to adopt the international target in the Netherlands and aim for a 50% reduction of the number of road casualties by 2030 [12]. An exploratory study [13] concludes that this reduction, even with additional measures, is out of reach. The number of road casualties, especially serious road injuries, is instead expected to rise significantly toward 2030 [13].

Compared to the official numbers of road deaths reported by other European countries, the real number of road deaths in the Netherlands in 2022 ranked fifteenth in Europe [14]. [i] Correction was made for the size of each country by comparing traffic mortality (road deaths per inhabitant). In relation to road safety improvement measured in terms of the decrease in the number of road deaths per country in 2022 as contrasted to 2012, the Netherlands rank 30th, - the third-to-last - with an increase of 13%. In comparison, the best performing countries such as Lithuania, Poland and Estonia achieved a 43% or higher reduction in road deaths during the same period.

In its database CARE, the EU collects the information from road crash registrations of the 27 EU member states, as well as some other countries such as Norway and Switzerland. In CARE, no correction is made for the underregistration of road deaths in the road crash registrations of the member states ((BRON for the Netherlands). For traffic mortality based on CARE, the Netherlands ranks sixth within the EU based on the (partly preliminary) 2023 data [15] and ninth if other European countries such as Norway, Switzerland and Iceland are included in the comparison. These comparisons provide a distorted picture, as they do not include the road deaths that were missing from BRON but were identified by Statistics Netherlands. In 2018, ETSC investigated whether other countries also use more than one source when determining the number of road deaths [16]. About half of the countries surveyed (17 out of 32) use hospital data, cause-of-death statements, or non-natural death data. The completeness of road crash records across countries is currently unknown.

SWOV fact sheet Dutch road safety in an international perspective compares Dutch road safety performance to that of other countries in a broader sense.

Below you will find the list of references that are used in this fact sheet; all sources can be consulted or retrieved. Via Publications you can find more literature on the subject of road safety.

[1]. European Commission (2016). CARE database CADaS. Directorate General for Mobility and Transport. European Commission, Brussel.

[2]. CBS (2019). Begrippen. Lijst met begrippen die CBS hanteert in zijn statistieken. CBS. Accessed on 25-10-2020 at https://www.cbs.nl/nl-nl/onze-diensten/methoden/begrippen?tab=v#id=verkeersdode.

[3]. Bos, N.M., Temürhan, M., Stipdonk, H.L. & Aarts, L.T. (2023). Registraties van verkeersdoden in Nederland. Hoe verhouden verschillende bronbestanden zich tot elkaar? [Road death registration in the Netherlands. Comparing the different source files] R-2023-3 [Summary in English]. SWOV, Den Haag.

[4]. Aarts, L.T., Broek, L.J. van den, Oude Mulders, J., Decae, R.J., et al. (2022). De Staat van de Verkeersveiligheid 2022. Trend in aantal verkeersdoden en -gewonden daalt niet. R-2022-10. SWOV, Den Haag.

[5]. Aarts, L.T. & Dijkstra, A. (2018). DV3 - Achtergronden en uitwerking van de verkeersveiligheidsvisie. De visie Duurzaam Veilig Wegverkeer voor de periode 2018 – 2030 onderbouwd [Sustainable Safety version 3 – Backgrounds and elaboration of the updated road safety vision. Substantiation of the second advanced Sustainable Safety vision for the period 2018-2030]. R-2018-6B [Summary in English]. SWOV, Den Haag.

[6]. Davidse, R.J., Boele-Vos, M.J., Doumen, M.J.A., Duijvenvoorde, K. van, et al. (2021). Dodelijke verkeersongevallen in Noord-Brabant 2018-2019. Analyse van ongevals- en letselfactoren en daaruit volgende aanknopingspunten voor maatregelen [Fatal road crashes in the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant 2018-2019. Analysis of road crash and injury factors and resulting potential measures]. R-2021-9[Summary in English]. SWOV, Den Haag.

[7]. Davidse, R.J., Duijvenvoorde, K. van & Louwerse, W.J.R. (2023). Dodelijke verkeersongevallen op rijkswegen in 2021. Analyse van ongevals- en letselfactoren en daaruit volgende aanknopingspunten voor maatregelen. R-2023-5. SWOV, Den Haag.

[8]. Wijnen, W. (2022). Maatschappelijke kosten van verkeersongevallen in Nederland. Actualisatie 2020. In opdracht van het Kennisinstituut voor Mobiliteitsbeleid KiM. W2Economics, Utrecht.

[9]. Ministerie van VenW (2008). Strategisch Plan Verkeersveiligheid 2008-2020; Van, voor en door iedereen. Ministerie van Verkeer en Waterstaat, Den Haag.

[10]. Council of the European Union (2017). Council conclusions on road safety: endorsing the Valletta Declaration of March 2017. Outcome of Proceedings from the General Secretariat of the Council. 9994/17 / TRANS 252 / 8666/1/17 REV 1 TRANS 158. Council of the European Union, Brussels.

[11]. United Nations (2020). Improving global road safety. A/74/L.86. United Nations, New York.

[12]. Tweede Kamer (2021). Motie van het lid Geurts over een halvering van het aantal verkeersslachtoffers in 2030. Maatregelen verkeersveiligheid 29 398, nr. 946. Tweede Kamer der Staten-Generaal. Accessed on 17-02-2023 at https://www.tweedekamer.nl/kamerstukken/moties/detail?id=2021Z13389&did=2021D28533

[13]. Craen, S. de, Bijleveld, F.D., Bos, N.M., Broek, B. van den, et al. (2022). Kiezen of delen. Welke maatregelen kunnen zorgen voor halvering verkeersslachtoffers in 2030? R-2022-8. SWOV, Den Haag.

[14]. Carson, J., Jost, G. & Meinero, M. (2023). Ranking EU progress on road safety. 17th Road Safety Performance Index Report. European Transport Safety Council ETSC, Brussels.

[15]. EC (2024). Road safety statistics 2023 in more detail. European Commission, Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport. Accessed on 26-03-2024 at https://transport.ec.europa.eu/background/road-safety-statistics-2023_en.

[16]. Adminaite, D., Jost, G., Stipdonk, H.L. & Ward, H. (2018). An overview of road death data collection in the EU. PIN Flash report 35. European Transport Safety Council ETSC, Brussels.