Further analysis of the decrease in the number of road fatalities in 2004. The numbers of road fatalities as well as the risk of dying in a road crash have been showing a downward trend. In 2004, the number of fatalities and the crash rate showed a relatively strong decline. In the present report the developments around the year 2004 are analysed and possible explanations for the extra reductions are searched for. This is not the first study of the developments around the year 2004. Previous studies indicated for which groups of road users the decline in fatalities was relatively large in 2004, gave a possible explanation for part of the decline, and ruled out a number of possible causes. However, these studies have not been able to make a statement about whether or not the decline is temporary and have not been able to explain the entire decline. For reliable forecasts it is important to know whether or not the decline was temporary and as data over a longer period and supplementary data have become available, this study once more analyses the developments around the year 2004.
Samenvatting