31-07-2025
Study: Ireland ninth safest European country for driving
Ireland ranks ninth as Europe's safest country for driving, with 32 road deaths per million inhabitants in 2024, 29% lower than the European average, a study has revealed.
The study, carried out by analysed the latest data from the European Transport Safety Council's (ETSC) Performance Index (PIN) 2025 report, ranking European countries based on their 2024 road fatality figures.
According to the study, Ireland recorded 172 road deaths in 2024, maintaining "strong safety performance" across both urban centres and rural counties.
It also found that Ireland's roads are more than twice as safe as Serbia's, which is Europe's most dangerous driving country.
The study revealed that despite having one of Europe's "most extensive rural road networks" and challenging Atlantic weather conditions, Ireland maintains consistent safety standards nationwide.
The table below outlines Europe's top 10 safest driving countries:
Rank Country 2024 Road deaths Population 2024 Road deaths per million Difference to EU average 32 Norway 89 5,550,217 16 -64% 31 Sweden 213 10,551,707 20 -56% 30 Malta 12 563,443 21 -53% 29 Denmark 145 5,961,249 24 -47% 28 United Kingdom 1,702 69,200,000 25 -44% 27 Luxembourg 18 672,050 27 -40% 26 Switzerland 250 8,962,258 28 -38% 25 Finland 176 5,603,851 31 -31% 23 Ireland 172 5,351,681 32 -29% 23 Slovenia 68 2,123,949 32 -29% Europe's top 10 safest driving countries.
The following table outlines Europe's top 10 most dangerous driving countries:
Rank Country 2024 Road deaths Population 2024 Road deaths per million residents Difference to EU average 1 Serbia 514 6,605,168 78 +73% 2 Romania 1,477 19,067,576 77 +71% 3 Bulgaria 478 6,445,481 74 +64% 4 Greece 665 10,400,720 64 +42% 5 Croatia 239 3,861,967 62 +38% 6 Latvia 112 1,871,882 60 +33% 6 Portugal 634 10,639,726 60 +33% 8 Hungary 497 9,584,627 52 +16% 8 Poland 1,896 36,620,970 52 +16% 10 Italy 3,030 58,971,230 51 +13% Europe's top 10 most dangerous driving countries
The CEO of Mattijs Wijnmalen said: "Ireland's ninth-place ranking is particularly impressive, given the unique challenges of maintaining road safety across such a diverse road network.
"From the busy M50 around Dublin to winding coastal roads in Kerry and Donegal, Ireland manages an incredibly varied driving environment that includes some of Europe's most scenic, and challenging, rural routes."
"The 29% improvement over the EU average represents significant progress, especially considering Ireland's challenging weather conditions and the mix of local traffic, agricultural vehicles, and international tourists navigating unfamiliar roads," Wijnmalen added.
