Belgium counts fewer road deaths in first three months of 2023

During the first three months of this year, the number of on-site traffic fatalities on Belgian roads decreased by 18% compared to the same period last year. There were 89 road fatalities compared to 108 during the same period last year. One in three fatalities is a cyclist or pedestrian. This is according to Vias Institute’s road safety barometer based on figures from the federal police.

At least one traffic death every day

The number of road deaths fell the most in Wallonia: from 56 to 42 deaths in the first quarter. In Flanders, there was only a very small drop (from 49 to 47), and in Brussels, no person died on the spot in traffic. “These figures are hopefully the forerunner of a sustainable decline in road casualties,” reports Vias. “Yet, on average, someone still dies on our roads daily. That remains unacceptably high.”

Nationally, there was a slight increase among cyclists, with 11 deaths compared to 10. Despite the decrease among pedestrians (21 to 15), one in three road deaths in Belgium remains cyclists or pedestrians. The number of deaths among motorcyclists fell noticeably, from 11 to 4.

Fewer injury accidents

There were also 7 887 injury accidents, or 2% less than the previous year. That is the lowest number in the last ten years if Covid-19 years are not counted.

Flanders has a slightly positive trend for the number of injury accidents: from 4 992 to 4 887 (-2%). In Wallonia, that decrease (-5%) is slightly more pronounced: from 2 249 to 2 139, while in Brussels, where there is a trend toward more cyclists, there was a slight increase (+2,5%) in the number of injuries by accidents: from 840 to 861.

Nationally, the number of registered injury accidents fell for all road users, except for pedestrians and truck accidents. The most favorable trend occurred for motorcyclists (-22%). The number of injury accidents involving e-scooter users has stagnated, from 312 to 306 accidents in the first quarter.