Road fatalities in Cyprus increased by 10 per cent in 2025, reaching a total of 45 deaths according to figures published on Tuesday by the European Commission's transport directorate. The island's road fatality rate climbed slightly above the European Union average of 43 deaths per million inhabitants. Despite the year-on-year rise, last year's total remained 13 per cent below the figures recorded in 2019 and 12 per cent below 2017 levels.
The data for the current year highlights ongoing safety challenges across the island's street network. Although figures from the first half of this year initially showed a drop of more than 10 per cent compared to the same period last year, fatalities have since climbed. Cyprus has recorded 34 road fatalities so far this year, matching the exact tally registered at the same point in 2025, which marked the deadliest year for the island in the past five years. Vulnerable road users continue to face high risks, with 14 of this year's victims identified as motorcyclists. Police and transport officials continue to highlight excessive speeding and mobile phone use behind the wheel as primary contributing factors, while drivers under the age of 24 feature prominently among those killed.
Taking a broader perspective, long-term trends reflect noticeable progress in overall road safety. A European Transport Safety Council report published in June revealed that Cyprus cut road deaths by 13.5 per cent between 2019 and 2025. Over the past decade, the island achieved a 21.1 per cent reduction in fatal collisions, slightly outperforming the European Union average decrease of 20.2 per cent.
Across the wider European Union, 19,350 people lost their lives in road collisions in 2025, representing a 3 per cent decline compared to 2024 and a 15 per cent drop compared to 2019. However, progress remains uneven across member states, with only Belgium, Bulgaria, Denmark, Poland, and Romania currently on track to meet the EU target of halving road deaths by 2030. Bulgaria recorded the highest fatality rate in the bloc at 71 deaths per million inhabitants, followed by Romania with 68 and Croatia with 65. Sweden maintained the lowest fatality rate in Europe, recording just 19 deaths per million residents.