Abstract
This paper describes traffic safety problems on Latvian rural roads. This study, in which the main attention is on traffic accident fatalities, was undertaken to obtain accident characteristics in Latvia and to compare them with some Western European countries. The countries included in the study are: Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands and Switzerland. The objectives of the study were to: (1) Identify changes in fatalities and fatalities rates for Latvia's roads starting with the year 1977; (2) Give an analysis of the changes of safety level on rural roads; (3) Show the most accident loaded regions in Latvia. (A)