COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Monitoring Road Safety Progress in the EU - Hungary Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Report on the Implementation of the EU Road Safety Policy Framework at the Mid-Point
Date: 2026-02-13
Institutions: Directorate-General for Mobility and Transport, European Commission
Subjects: EU investment, Hungary, accident prevention, common transport policy, innovation, road safety, road transport, transport accident, transport infrastructure, transport statistics

EN 

  EN 

   EUROPEAN COMMISSION  Brussels, 13.2.2026  SWD(2026) 45 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Monitoring Road Safety Progress in the EU - Hungary Accompanying the document COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE COUNCIL, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE AND THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS Report on the Implementation of the EU Road Safety Policy Framework at the Mid-Point {COM(2026) 77 final} - {SWD(2026) 33 final} - {SWD(2026) 34 final} - {SWD(2026) 35 final} - {SWD(2026) 36 final} - {SWD(2026) 37 final} - {SWD(2026) 38 final} - {SWD(2026) 39 final} - {SWD(2026) 40 final} - {SWD(2026) 41 final} - {SWD(2026) 42 final} - {SWD(2026) 43 final} - {SWD(2026) 44 final} - {SWD(2026) 46 final} - {SWD(2026) 47 final} - {SWD(2026) 48 final} - {SWD(2026) 49 final} - {SWD(2026) 50 final} - {SWD(2026) 51 final} - {SWD(2026) 52 final} - {SWD(2026) 53 final} - {SWD(2026) 54 final} - {SWD(2026) 55 final} - {SWD(2026) 56 final} - {SWD(2026) 57 final} - {SWD(2026) 58 final} - {SWD(2026) 59 final}  
 
 
Contents 

1. Summary .................................................................................................................... 2 

2. Road Safety Strategy and Measures .......................................................................... 3 

2.1 Road Safety Strategy............................................................................................ 3 

2.2 Road Safety Governance...................................................................................... 3 

2.3 Main Safety Issues ............................................................................................... 3 

2.4 Road Safety Targets ............................................................................................. 4 

2.5 Road Safety Measures.......................................................................................... 4 

3. Road Safety Progress ................................................................................................. 4 

3.1 Road Safety Outcomes ......................................................................................... 4 

3.2 Road Safety Performance Indicators ................................................................... 8 

4. Monitoring Road Safety Strategy Implementation .................................................... 8 

4.1 Implementation Progress ..................................................................................... 8 

4.2 Gaps ................................................................................................................... 11 

5. Conclusions and Recommendations ........................................................................ 12 

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Summary 

In 2024, Hungary, with 52 fatalities per million population was above the EU average of 45 
per million. Compared to 2019, a decrease of 17% in road fatalities was recorded. In 2024, 
4,721 serious injuries were recorded, which is 14% lower than the respective figure in 2019.  

Compared to the EU average, the distribution of fatalities in Hungary shows a high proportion 
of killed people aged 25-49 years old and cyclists inside urban areas. Also, the share of fatalities 
on  roads  outside  urban  areas  and  on  motorways  was  relatively  high.  Concerning  serious 
injuries, the highest share was recorded inside urban areas, with the ratios of seriously injured 
PTW riders and cyclists being relatively high. 

The Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025 of Hungary is based on the Vision Zero principle 
for  road  safety  work.  The  interim  targets  of  halving  the  numbers  of  road  fatalities  and 
serious injuries by 2030 compared to 2020 have been set as well. The Road Safety Action 
Plan 2023-2025 includes 41 road safety measures divided in five policy pillars. For each 
pillar,  specific  areas  of  action  have  been  defined.  More  detailed  tasks  assigned  to  the  main 
intervention areas along with the necessary budget are defined in annual action plans.  

Based on the latest available data, Hungary has made reasonable progress but is currently 
not quite on track towards meeting the 2030 target of halving the numbers of road fatalities.  

Regarding the progress of the implementation of the road safety measures foreseen in the Road 
Safety Action Plans for the period 2020-2024, there is a smooth implementation flow without 
any particular gaps being reported. Hungary starts from a medium level in most examined 
road safety areas (19 out of 26). Based on the self-reported assessment, the baseline is assessed 
as high in two road safety areas (National road safety authority and Road design standards) and 
as low in four areas (national road safety budget, fleet renewal, reduce EMS reaction time and 
support people injured).  

Most of the measures foreseen are assessed to be on track. The implementation of measures 
related to the national road safety authority, city mobility plans and safety plans and road design 
standards has been completed. However, the implementation of measures related to the update 
of speed limits, fleet renewal and post-crash care has not started yet. Indicatively, city mobility 
and safety plans have been developed for Budapest and other large cities of Hungary, tenders 
for  the  construction  of  new  bicycle  lanes  are  underway,  legislation  on  professional  drivers, 
training of new drivers and vehicle technical inspections is under review, while legislation on 
micromobility is under development. Also, campaigns on seat-belt use and speeding have been 
performed.  

Based on the self-reported assessment, there is sufficient cooperation between the competent 
road safety organisations, however, the available financial resources for the implementation 
of the planned road safety measures are limited. Additionally, a comprehensive review of the 
regulatory framework is currently in progress, which covers not only fundamental road traffic 
regulations,  but  also  key  aspects  of  related  professional  fields,  such  as  training,  education, 
infrastructure safety, and vehicle safety. However, the professional and public consultations, 
as well as the modification of the regulations require a considerable amount of time. 

Despite the downward trend in the number of serious injuries, more effort is still needed to 
improve progress on this issue, which could be addressed either by prioritising the relevant 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
policies or by exploring other relevant activities with emphasis on crashes inside urban areas, 
vulnerable road users and post-crash care.   

The Hungarian government is currently preparing a revision of the road traffic rules (KRESZ) 
which will, among other things, take greater account of vulnerable road users.   

2. Road Safety Strategy and Measures 

2.1 Road Safety Strategy 

Since 2014, Hungary publishes three-year Road Safety Action Plans. The current action plan 
spans the period 2023-2025, while the last one ended in 2022. Each road safety action plan 
covers the entire national road network, and defines the traffic safety guidelines, goals, priority 
areas, and actions for each period. More detailed tasks assigned to the main intervention areas 
along with the necessary budget are defined in the annual action plans. 

The Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025 is based on the Vision Zero principle for road safety 
work and builds on the Valletta Declaration on road safety and the policy framework for road 
safety  for  the  period  2021  to  2030  -  next  steps  towards  the  European  Union  Vision  Zero 
Strategy.  

Table 14.1: National road safety action plans  

Hungary 
2020-2022, 2023-2025 
Ministry of Construction and Transport (formerly Ministry of Innovation and 
Technology) and the Ministry of the Interior, with the cooperation of other 
organizations interested in the field (e.g. KTI, national police, road operator, 
universities, NGOs) 
https://kormany.hu/epitesi-es-kozlekedesi-miniszterium/kozuti-
kozlekedesbiztonsagi-akcioprogram 

Timeframe 

Lead Authority 

Link 

Source: national sources 

2.2 Road Safety Governance 

The  Ministry  of  Construction  and  Transport  and  the  Ministry  of  Interior  and  Police  are 
responsible for the formulation of the national road safety strategy.  

Also, the KTI Hungarian Institute for Transport Sciences and Logistics Ltd is responsible for 
the monitoring of road safety developments in the country. 

2.3 Main Safety Issues 

Based on the analysis of crash statistics of the previous decade, the following main safety issues 
have been identified in the Road Safety Action Plan 2023-2025 of Hungary: 

•  2/3 of road crashes are caused by passenger cars. 1 out of 4 road crashes is caused by 

vulnerable road users. 

•  3 main reasons leading to road crashes have been identified: 

o  Inappropriate speed 

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
o  Direction change, travel or turning errors 
o  Failure to give priority 

Together these factors were responsible for 82% of road crashes in Hungary in 2020. 

•  The share of elderly people (over 65 years old) injured in road crashes increased in the 

previous years. 

•  The  percentage  of  crashes  related  to  drink-driving  was  10%  in  2020,  which  is 

approximately the same as the values in the middle of the decade 2011-2020.  

2.4 Road Safety Targets 

The following targets have been set at the National Road Safety Action Plan of Hungary: 

•  By 2030, a 50% reduction in fatalities compared to 2020.1 

•  By 2030, a 50% reduction in serious injuries compared to 2020.2 

2.5 Road Safety Measures 

A total of 41 road safety measures divided in five policy pillars are included in the road safety 
strategy of Hungary3. For each pillar, specific areas of action have been defined as well.  

Table 14.2: Road safety pillars and number of areas of action 

Policy Pillars 

1.  Safe road users - education and training 

2.  Accident prevention 

3.  Law and enforcement  

4.  Safe vehicles and safe infrastructure 

5.  Research and development 

Total 

Areas of action 

4 

3 

4 

3 

3 

17 

3. Road Safety Progress 

3.1 Road Safety Outcomes 
Based on data for 2024, Hungary ranked 20th out of the 27 EU countries in terms of the lowest 
numbers of fatalities per million inhabitants. In fact, 52 road fatalities per million inhabitants 

1 For the purposes of this report, the baseline year 2019 is used. 
2 idem 
3 Közúti Közlekedésbiztonsági Akcióprogram 2023-2025, available at: https://kormany.hu/epitesi-es-
kozlekedesi-miniszterium/kozuti-kozlekedesbiztonsagi-akcioprogram  

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
were recorded that year, which is higher than the EU average (45).  

Figure 14.1 Mortality rates by country, 2024  

Sources: CARE database on road crashes; population data from Eurostat (online data code demo_pjan). 

Compared to 20194, a decrease of 17% in road fatalities was recorded. Despite this reasonably 
good progress, Hungary is not yet on track to meet the 2030 target of halving the number of 
fatalities. In addition, serious injuries decreased by 14% between 2019 and 2024 indicating 
that Hungary needs further efforts to meet the 50% target.   

Figure 14.2 Road fatalities and target 20305  
(Source CARE database) 

4 For all Member States, 2019 has been used as the baseline year for the monitoring of 2030 targets in this report, 
which is used at EU level. Hungary has set 2020 as the baseline year. 
5 It is noted that the global COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the CARE data for 2020 and 2021 for many 
European countries. Traffic volumes dropped sharply during the pandemic due to traffic restrictions, which was 
associated with a significant drop in road traffic crashes and fatalities. 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 14.3 Serious road injuries  
(Source: CARE database)3 

Compared to the EU average, the distribution of fatalities in Hungary showed a high proportion 
of killed people  aged 25-49 years old  for both  males and  females and  cyclists inside urban 
areas6. Also, the share of fatalities on roads outside urban areas and on motorways was higher 
than the EU average. In fact, in 2023, 57% of fatalities were recorded outside urban areas and 
11% of fatalities were recorded on motorways. On the contrary, the highest share of serious 
injuries was recorded inside urban areas (60%), with the ratios of seriously injured PTWs and 
cyclists being relatively high (19% and 18% respectively).  

An overview of the evolution of road crash fatalities and serious injuries for the years 2019 and 
2024 (year with the latest available detailed crash data) is provided below for specific types of 
roads, crashes and road users. Overall, the number of fatalities declined by 17% in 2024. The 
decrease in the number of pedestrian, cyclist and PTW rider fatalities as well as in fatalities 
inside urban areas was higher than the decrease in the total number of fatalities.  

Also, the number of serious injuries was reduced by 14% during the period 2019-2024. The 
highest decrease was recorded for pedestrians (25%).  

6  European  Commission  (2023),  Country  Profile  Hungary.  Road  Safety  Observatory.  Brussels,  European 
Commission, Directorate General for Transport. 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 14.3: Evolution of road fatalities, 2019-2024 

Fatalities 

2019 

2024 

Total road fatalities 

Inside urban areas 

Outside urban areas 

Motorways 

Single vehicle crashes 

Multi vehicle crashes 

Car occupants 

PTW riders 

Cyclists 

Pedestrians 

602 

223 

331 

48 
125 

340 

273 

74 

63 

144 

497 

162 

282 

53 
102 

317 

262 

57 

47 

91 

%  
in 2024 

- 
33% 

57% 

11% 
21% 

64% 

53% 

11% 

9% 

18% 

Table 14.4: Evolution of serious injuries, 2019-2024 

Serious Injuries 

Total serious injuries 

Inside urban areas 

Outside urban areas 

Motorways 

Single vehicle crashes 

Multi vehicle crashes 

Car occupants 

PTW riders 

Cyclists 

Pedestrians 

2019 

5,485 

3,392 

1,873 

220 

1,400 

3,178 

2,058 

1,103 

1,029 

934 

2024 

4,721 

2,843 

1,662 

216 

1,384 

2,659 

1,840 

907 

829 

698 

%  
in 2024 

- 
60% 

35% 

5% 

29% 

56% 

39% 

19% 

18% 

15% 

% change 
2019-2024 
-17% 

-27% 

-15% 

+10% 
-18% 

-7% 

-4% 

-23% 

-25% 

-37% 

% change 
2019-2024 
-14% 

-16% 

-11% 

-2% 

-1% 

-16% 

-11% 

-18% 

-19% 

-25% 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3.2 Road Safety Performance Indicators 

Hungary performs worse than the EU average in relation to seat belt use, particularly in the 
rear seats. Additionally, the passenger car fleet in Hungary is older than the EU average. 

Table 14.5: Road Safety Performance Indicators, 2022 – 2025 (Source: ERSO, Country 
Profiles) 

Speeding7 
% of passenger cars travelling within speed limits a 

Motorways 
Rural Roads 
Urban Roads 

Seat belt & CRS use rates (%) a*,b 

Front 
Rear 
Child restraint systems (roadside observations) 
Child restraint systems (in-vehicle inspections) 

Helmet use rates (%) a 

PTW driver 
PTW passenger 
Cyclist 

DUI of Alcoholc 
(self-reported) 

Hungary 

EU 

2022 

2025 

2022 

2025 

- 
- 
61.5 

93.5 
68.1 
90.0 
/ 

98.6 
96.8 
- 

83.0 
50.0 
68.0 

83.2 
63.5 
89.9 
/ 

98.2 
98.3 
16.2 

- 
- 
- 

93.1 
75.3 
67.0 
- 

97.0 
94.4 
37.8 

- 
- 
- 

92.4 
69.9 
83.3 
- 

97.6 
97.0 
34.5 

% of car drivers who have driven at least once in the 
last 30 days over the legal limit 

- 

- 

11.8 

11.8 

Driver Distraction a 

% of drivers not using hand-held mobile 
device/phone while driving 

Vehicle Safety 

96.4 

95.8 

94.8 

94.5 

% of new passenger cars rated with 4 EuroNCAP 
stars and above a 
Average age of passenger car fleet (years)d 

- 

- 

16.2 

12.0 

83.6 

12.3 

82.7 

12.5 

Sources: a Baseline and Trendline projects, b ETSC (2022), c ESRA3 project (2024), d ACEA (2024, 2025), Notes: 
*2025 data only for weekdays 

4. Monitoring Road Safety Strategy Implementation 

4.1 Implementation Progress 

Road Safety Management 

Regarding the Road Safety Management pillar, based on the self-reported assessment, the 
baseline and the implementation progress varies across the different road safety areas. Hungary 

7 An EU average is not available for speeding, due to different legal speed limits among countries, which does not 
allow for a straightforward comparison.  

8 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
starts from a high level in the area of national road safety authority, and all foreseen measures 
related to this area have been completed. Concerning the road safety legislation, the baseline 
was assessed as medium, and the update of the road traffic code is currently underway. On the 
contrary,  no  measures  related  to  the  national  road  safety  budget  and  national  road  safety 
observatory have been included in this action plan.  

Table 14.6: Self-reported assessment of implementation progress of measures related to road 
safety management 

B1 

Road Safety Management 

1 

2 

3 

4 

National road safety authority 

National road safety budget 

Road safety legislation 

National road safety observatory 

Safe Road User Behaviour 

Baseline 
Assessment (2020) 

high 

low 

medium 

- 

Progress 
(2020-2024) 

completed 

- 

on track 

- 

In relation to the pillar of Safe Road User Behaviour, Hungary starts from a medium level in 
2021 in all road safety areas. All measures related to this pillar are on track. 

Table 14.7: Self-reported assessment of implementation progress of measures related to road 
user behaviour 

B2 

Safe Road User Behaviour 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

Enforcement 

Education 

New drivers training 

Communication campaigns 

Measures for vulnerable road users 

Measures for professional drivers 

Baseline 
Assessment (2020) 

Progress 
(2020-2024) 

medium 

medium 

medium 

medium 

medium 

medium 

on track 

on track 

on track 

on track 

on track 

on track 

More specifically, the number of police checks concerning traffic violations has been increased 
significantly.  Also,  the  number  of  lessons  related  to  road  safety  education  increased  in  the 
National Curriculum in 2023. An extensive communication campaign on the use of safety belt 
was implemented. Also, legislation related to professional drivers and training of new drivers 
is under review, while legislation regarding micromobility is under development.  

Safe Speeds 

Regarding the Safe Speeds pillar, Hungary starts from a medium level in all related road safety 
areas. In this pillar, all foreseen measures are on track, except those related to the update speed 
limits, the implementation of which has not started yet. 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 14.8: Self-reported assessment of implementation progress of measures related to safe 
speeds 

B3 

Safe Speeds 

1 

2 

3 

4 

Update of speed limits 

Enforcing speed limits 

Campaigns on speeding 

Monitoring speeding 

Baseline 
Assessment (2020) 

medium 

medium 

medium 

medium 

Progress 
(2020-2024) 

not started 

on track 

on track 

on track 

Up to 2024, the number of speed cameras in operation has increased, however, section control 
for enforcing speeding has not been applied. Campaigns on speeding have been also carried 
out  by  the  Police  near  highways.  For  the  monitoring  of  speeding,  the  collection  of  KPIs  is 
currently  underway  in  the  context  of  the  European  project  “Trendline”.  Finally,  zones  with 
maximum speed limit of 30km/h should be applied in more places.   

Safe Roads 

Regarding the Safe Roads pillar, the baseline is assessed as medium in all road safety areas, 
besides the area of road design standards, which is assessed as high. The implementation of the 
foreseen  measures  related  to  the  areas  of  city  mobility  and  safety  plans  and  road  design 
standards has been completed. All remaining measures within this pillar are on track.  

Table 14.9: Self-reported assessment of implementation progress of measures related to safe 
roads 

B4 

Safe Roads 

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

City mobility & safety plans 

Urban infrastructure for VRUs 

Rural roads safety interventions 

Motorways safety management 

Road design standards 

Road safety audit and inspection 

Baseline 
Assessment (2020) 

medium 

medium 

medium 

medium 

high 

medium 

Progress 
(2020-2024) 

completed 

on track 

on track 

on track 

completed 

on track 

Specifically, city mobility and safety plans have been developed for Budapest and other large 
cities of Hungary. Also, detailed technical guides on road design standards are already ready.  

Concerning  the  urban  infrastructure  for  VRUs,  new  bicycle  lanes  and  tenders  for  their 
construction are underway. Also, the methodology for the network-wide road safety assessment 
of rural roads and motorways is under development.  

Safe Vehicles 

In relation to the pillar of Safe Vehicles, Hungary starts from a medium level in all related 

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
areas, except the fleet renewal, the baseline of which is assessed as low. All measures of this 
pillar are on track, while the implementation of the measures related to fleet renewal has not 
started yet.  

Table 14.10: Self-reported assessment of implementation progress of measures related to safe 
vehicles 

B5 

Safe Vehicles 

1 

2 

3 

4 

Fleet renewal 

Promotion of ADAS 

Technical vehicle inspection 

Automation preparation 

Baseline 
Assessment (2020) 

low 

medium 

medium 

medium 

Progress 
(2020-2024) 

not started 

on track 

on track 

on track 

The promotion of ADAS has been carried out through communication campaigns and driver 
training. The legislation related to the vehicle technical inspections is under review. In addition, 
the Zalazone test track is used for tests related to vehicle automation. 

Post Crash Care 

Regarding the Post-Crash Care pillar, Hungary starts from a low level in 2020 in both road 
safety areas. The implementation of the related measures has not started yet.  

Table 14.11: Self-reported assessment of implementation progress of measures related to post 
crash care 

B6 

Post Crash Care 

1 

2 

Reduce EMS reaction time 

Support people injured 

4.2 Gaps 

Baseline 
Assessment (2020) 

low 

low 

Progress 
(2020-2024) 

not started 

not started 

According to the self-reported assessment, the strategic framework for road safety activities in 
Hungary is well-defined. There is sufficient cooperation between the responsible road safety 
organisations, however, the financial resources available for the implementation of road safety 
measures are limited.  

A  comprehensive  review  of  the  regulatory  framework  has  also  become  necessary  and  is 
currently in progress. This review covers not only the fundamental road traffic regulations, but 
also key aspects of related professional fields, such as training, education, infrastructure safety, 
and  vehicle  safety.  However,  the  professional  and  public  consultations,  as  well  as  the 
modification of the regulations require a considerable amount of time. 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
5. Conclusions and Recommendations 

In the road safety action plan 2023-2025 of Hungary, the targets of halving the numbers of 
road fatalities and serious injuries in 2030 compared to 2020 have been set8. In total, 41 road 
safety measures grouped into five policy pillars are included in the plan. 

In  2024,  Hungary  with  52  fatalities  per  million  inhabitants,  Hungary  was  above  the  EU 
average (44) in terms of fatalities. Compared to the EU average, the distribution of fatalities 
in Hungary showed a high proportion of killed people aged 25-49 years old and cyclists inside 
urban areas. Also, the share of fatalities on roads outside urban areas and on motorways was 
relatively high. 

Based on data, between 2019 and 2024, a decrease of 17% in road fatalities and 14% in serious 
injuries was recorded. Also, crash fatalities for all examined road user types declined over the 
period 2019-2024, except those on motorways. 

Regarding the progress of the implementation of the road safety actions foreseen in the road 
safety  plan  for  the  period  2020-2024,  there  is  a  smooth  implementation  flow  without  any 
particular gaps being reported. Based on the self-reported assessment, most of the measures 
foreseen are on track. The implementation of the measures in three areas has been completed, 
while in four other areas, it has not started yet.  

According  to  the  self-reported  assessment,  there  is  adequate  cooperation  between  the 
responsible  road  safety  organisations,  however,  the  financial  resources  available  for  the 
implementation of road safety measures are limited. Additionally, a comprehensive review of 
the  regulatory  framework  is  currently  in  progress,  however,  the  professional  and  public 
consultations, as well as the modification of the regulations require a considerable amount of 
time. 

Finally,  the  implementation  progress  is  broadly  well  on  track.  Despite  the  reasonably  good 
progress associated with a 17% decrease in fatalities, Hungary still needs to do more to meet 
the 2030 target of halving the number of road fatalities.  Moreover, additional efforts are 
needed to improve progress on serious injuries, which could be addressed either by prioritising 
the relevant policies or by exploring other relevant activities with emphasis on crashes inside 
urban areas, VRUs and post-crash care.  

8 The baseline year is expected to change in the next programming period (in line with European practices), so 
that targets will be set in relation to the year 2019. 

12