COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Monitoring Road Safety Progress in the EU - Finland 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, Finland, 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) 41 final  COMMISSION STAFF WORKING DOCUMENT Monitoring Road Safety Progress in the EU - Finland 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) 42 final} - {SWD(2026) 43 final} - {SWD(2026) 44 final} - {SWD(2026) 45 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 ................................................................................................. 5 

3.1 Road Safety Outcomes ......................................................................................... 5 

3.2 Road Safety Performance Indicators ................................................................... 7 

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

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

4.2 Gaps ................................................................................................................... 12 

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

1 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1. Summary 

In 2024, Finland was among the best performing countries in the EU with 32 fatalities per 
million inhabitants, while the EU average was 45. Compared to 2019, a decrease of 15% in 
road fatalities was achieved. In 2023, 872 people were seriously injured, which is which is only 
slightly lower than the respective figure in 2019.  

Compared to the EU average, the distribution of fatalities in Finland showed a high proportion 
of  car  occupants  and  fatalities  on  roads  outside  urban  areas.  Also,  the  share  of  serious 
injuries on urban roads is higher than the respective share of fatalities. 

In the Finnish Traffic Safety Strategy 2022-2026, the targets of halving the numbers of road 
fatalities and serious injuries by 2030 compared to 2020 have been set. These interim goals 
also guide the implementation of the traffic safety strategy and the traffic safety work towards 
close to zero road deaths by 2050 (Vision Zero). 

In the action plan included in the traffic safety strategy 2022-2026, a total of 103 traffic safety 
measures have been defined. The measures are grouped under seven strategic guidelines, and 
each has a responsible party. 67 out of the 103 traffic safety measures concern road safety. An 
impact assessment of some of the interventions of the action plan was carried out during the 
preparation of the Strategy. 

Based on the latest  available data, Finland has  made reasonable progress  and is  broadly  on 
track to meet the 2030 target of halving the number of road fatalities. 

Regarding the progress of the implementation of the road safety actions foreseen in the national 
strategy  for  the  period  2022-2024,  there  is  smooth  implementation  flow  without  any 
particular gaps being reported. Nearly all measures planned for the examined period are on 
track. A few are on hold, i.e. speed limit  guidelines and responsibility models for transport 
companies. 

According to the self-reported assessment, among the main challenges in implementing the 
traffic  safety  strategy  is  the  lack  of  special  funding  for  the  implementation  of  the  actions 
included in the strategy. Additionally, the lack of clear interim targets and indicators has been 
identified as a challenge. 

Finally, the implementation progress of the foreseen actions appears to be  well on track in 
Finland, which is also partially reflected in the progress made in terms of road safety outcomes. 
Finland  is  making  reasonably  good  progress  towards  meeting  the  2030  fatality  target.  For 
serious injuries, little progress has been achieved. Possible actions include:  

•  setting  up  a  dedicated  road  safety  fund  to  accelerate  the  implementation  of  specific 

actions, 

•  exploring  any  other  relevant  activities,  with  special  emphasis  on  those  preventing 

serious injuries. 

2 

 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
2. Road Safety Strategy and Measures 

2.1 Road Safety Strategy 

The Finnish Traffic Safety Strategy 2022-2026, including an Action Plan, was adopted by 
Finland’s  Ministry  of  Transport  and  Communications,  with  contributions  from  various 
government  agencies,  experts,  and  stakeholders.  This  strategy,  published  in  2022,  outlines 
Finland’s objectives for enhancing road safety over the coming years. 

This is the first time that the Traffic Safety Strategy includes all modes of transport: road, rail, 
water and air traffic. According to the Vision Zero of the Strategy, by 2050 nobody shall die 
or be seriously injured in traffic, regardless of the mode of transport. 

Table 10.1: National traffic safety strategy  

Timeframe 
Lead Authority 

Link 

Finland 
2022-2026 
Ministry of transport and communication 
https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/163951/LVM_2022_
3.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y 

2.2 Road Safety Governance 

The Traffic Safety Strategy has been prepared through extensive, cross-sectoral stakeholder 
cooperation. The steering group and working groups have included representatives from key 
ministries, authorities, municipalities, associations, organizations, and other stakeholders from 
the perspective of traffic safety. 

The  Finnish  Transport  and  Communications  Agency  Traficom,  Statistics  Finland,  Police, 
Liikenneturva (Finnish Road Safety Council), the Finnish Crash Data Institute (OTI) and the 
Finnish Transport  Infrastructure Agency are responsible for the  monitoring of road safety 
developments in the country. 

2.3 Main Safety Issues 

Based on the progress achieved and the future challenges, a  series of challenges have been 
highlighted in the Traffic Safety Strategy of Finland1: 

•  Large share of killed passenger car occupants in road crashes (58% during the period 

2016–2020).  

•  Young drivers are over-represented in crashes, and between 2016 and 2020, 18% of 

road traffic fatalities were 15–24-year-olds. 

o  Serious crashes among young people are characterized by speeding and, as a 

result, running off the road.  

o  There are deficiencies in the use of safety equipment. 
o  Crashes often involve the abuse of alcohol and other substances. 

1 Ministry of Transport and Communications, Finland. (2022). Road Safety Strategy 2022. Available at: 
https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/163951/LVM_2022_3.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y  

3 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
•  The  elderly  are  also  over-represented  in  serious  road  traffic  crashes  due  to  the 

population structure in Finland. 

•  A high share of road traffic deaths occurs on highways and trunk roads (55%). 

•  The number of drink-driving crashes has decreased in recent years, but the number of 

crashes related to the use of drugs or mixed substances has increased. 

2.4 Road Safety Targets 

Following Finland's commitment in the Valletta Declaration in 2017, the following targets have 
been set in the Finnish Road Safety Strategy: 

•  By 2030, a 50% reduction in fatalities compared to 2020. 

•  By 2030, a 50% reduction in serious injuries compared to 2020. 

These interim goals also guide the implementation of the traffic safety strategy and the traffic 
safety work towards the Vision Zero of 2050. 

2.5 Road Safety Measures 

A total of 103 traffic safety measures  are included in the action plan, which is part of  the 
traffic safety strategy of Finland. The measures are grouped under seven strategic guidelines, 
and each has a responsible party. 67 out of 103 traffic safety measures concern road safety.  

Some of the measures were prioritised and a descriptive impact assessment is available for each 
measure2. Quantified impact  estimates are available for specific groups of measures  for the 
entire strategy period. 

Table 10.2: Traffic safety strategic guidelines and number of measures 

Strategic Guidelines 

Measures 

1.  Road safety is a matter for society as a whole 

2.  Decision-making must be based on information 

3.  The transport skills of the different actors need to be improved 

4.  Attitudes in transport need to change  

5.  The transport system and all its components must be safe 

6.  Technological progress brings safety 

7.  Legislation must promote safety 

Total 

8 

15 

19 

18 

18 

8 

17 

103 

2 Ministry of Transport and Communications, Finland. (2022). Road Safety Strategy 2022. Available at: 
https://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/163951/LVM_2022_3.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y 

4 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
3. Road Safety Progress 

3.1 Road Safety Outcomes 
Based on data for 2024, Finland ranked 6th out of the 27 EU countries in terms of the lowest 
numbers of fatalities per million inhabitants. In fact, 32 road fatalities per million inhabitants 
were recorded that year, which is well below the EU average (45).  

Figure 10.1 Mortality rates by country, 2024  

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

In 2024, the number of fatalities decreased by 15% compared to 20193 while the number of 
serious injuries decreased by 2.5% in 2023 compared to 2019. 

3 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. Finland has set 2020 as the baseline year. 

5 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Figure 10.2 Road fatalities and target 2030  
(Source CARE database) 

Figure 10.3 Serious road injuries  
(Source: Statistics Finland)4 

Compared to the EU average, the distribution of fatalities in Finland showed a high proportion 
of car occupants and fatalities on roads outside urban areas5. In fact, 51% of killed road 
users were car occupants in 2023 and 66% of fatalities occurred outside urban areas, on non-
motorway  roads.  This  is  mainly  attributed  to  the  fact  that  Finland  is  a  sparsely  populated 
country compared to most EU countries. The proportion of trips by car is bigger than in other 

4 National data on serious injuries concern both police data and hospital data. These data differ from those in the 
CARE database, where only police data are available. 
5  European  Commission  (2023),  Country  Profile  Finland.  Road  Safety  Observatory.  Brussels,  European 
Commission, Directorate General for Transport. 

6 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
countries, when looking at household travel surveys. The share of serious injuries occurred on 
urban roads is higher than the respective share of fatalities. 

An overview of the evolution of road fatalities for the years 2019 and 2023 (year with the latest 
available detailed crash data) is provided below for specific types of roads, crashes and road 
users.  

The  number  of  total  fatalities  decreased  by  12%  in  2023  compared  to  2019.  The  highest 
decrease  was  recorded  in  fatalities  in  multi-vehicle  crashes  (33%).  On  the  other  hand,  the 
number of pedestrian fatalities and fatalities inside urban areas increased considerably over this 
period. 

Table 10.3: Evolution of road fatalities, 2019-2023 

Fatalities 

Total road fatalities 

Inside urban areas 

Outside urban areas 

Motorways 

Single vehicle crashes 

Multi vehicle crashes 

Car occupants 

PTW riders 

Cyclists 

Pedestrians 

2019 

211 

36 

169 

6 

73 

126 

123 

28 

23 

15 

2023 

185 

60 

123 

2 

77 

85 

95 

21 

20 

23 

%  
in 2023 

% change 
2019-2023 

- 

32% 

66% 

1% 

42% 

46% 

51% 

11% 

11% 

12% 

-12% 

+67% 

-27% 

- 

-5% 

-33% 

-23% 

-25% 

-13% 

+53% 

3.2 Road Safety Performance Indicators 

The use of seat-belts is higher in Finland compared to the EU average, while the rate of self-
reported  drink-driving  is  substantially  lower  than  the  EU  average.  The  average  age  of  the 
passenger car fleet in Finland is a bit higher than the EU average. 

7 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 10.5: Road Safety Performance Indicators, 2022 – 2025 (Source: ERSO, Country 
Profiles) 

Finland 

EU 

2022 

2025 

2022 

2025 

Speeding6 
% 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) 

45.0 
43.0 
42.0 

96.0 
89.0 
- 
/ 

- 
- 
- 

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

6.1 

Driver Distraction a 

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

Vehicle Safety 

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

98.3 

89.5 

13.1 

59.0 
35.0 
58.0 

- 
- 
- 
/ 

- 
- 
70.3 

- 

- 

- 
- 
- 

93.1 
75.3 
67.0 
- 

97.0 
94.4 
37.8 

- 
- 
- 

92.4 
69.9 
83.3 
- 

97.6 
97.0 
34.5 

11.8 

11.8 

94.8 

94.5 

89.0 

13.2 

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 

Based on the self-reported assessment, all measures related to this pillar are on track. 

6 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 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 10.6: 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 

Baseline 
Assessment (2021) 

Progress 
(2021-2024) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

on track 

- 

on track 

on track 

Concerning the area of national road safety authority, in Finland, the Ministry of Transport 
has  only  one  part  of  the  lead  agency's  tasks  and  resources.  Various  authorities  cooperate 
closely, with different ministries being represented in each other's working groups related to 
road  safety.  While  there  is  good  cooperation  between  stakeholders,  there  is  still  room  for 
further development. 
In the road safety strategy of Finland, a national road safety budget is not considered. Road 
improvement  projects  are  prioritized  according  to  the  goals  set  in  the  National  Transport 
System Plan. 

Concerning the road safety legislation area, many legislative projects have been carried out 
lately or are in progress. 

In Finland, there is no single responsible body for road safety statistics, and there are no plans 
to create one. Several organisations are involved in the data collection and analysis. Based on 
the  self-reported  assessment,  most  actions  for  improving  road  safety  statistics  are  in 
progress or completed. The participation in the Trendline project and the collection of Key 
Performance Indicators is among these actions. 

Safe Road User Behaviour 

In relation to the pillar of Safe Road User Behaviour, all measures are on track.  

Table 10.7: 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 (2021) 

Progress 
(2021-2024) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

on track 

on track 

on track 

on track 

on track 

on track 

Specifically, most of the actions related to the enforcement are in progress or completed. A 
new programme for police traffic enforcement for 2021–2030 has been prepared. Also, most 
of the education related actions are in progress. It is noted that Finland has a strong foundation 
for  road  safety  education  in  schools,  but  its  implementation  varies  by  region  and  school. 

9 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Continuous  development,  consideration  of  new  modes  of  transport,  and  close  cooperation 
between different stakeholders are key to enhancing road safety education. 

Concerning the training of novice drivers, special attention has been given to bicycle traffic 
in both theoretical and practical driving training.  

Additionally, there is a continuous official and organizational communication for road safety 
issues. 

Regarding the vulnerable road users, actions related to lowering speed limits in areas with 
high traffic volumes of cyclists and pedestrians and around schools and day-care centres are in 
progress. Also, actions related to safety of micromobility are on track. 

In terms of fitness to drive, Finnish doctors will know in future when they meet a patient what 
kind of driving licence he/she has and if he/she has a driving disqualification.   

Finally, the legislation on the transport of dangerous goods has been reformed. 

Safe Speeds 

Regarding the Safe Speeds pillar, all measures are on track. 

Table 10.8: 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 (2021) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Progress 
(2021-2024) 

on hold 

on track 

not applicable 

on track 

Speed limits have been lowered for a long time in many downtown areas and streets, with high 
shares of pedestrians and cyclists. Also, the update of the guidelines on speed limits on public 
roads is on hold, since after a comment round in 2021, there was a strong opposition against 
lowering the 100 km/h speed limits to 80km/h in some part of road network. 

In terms of enforcement, the police carry out daily speed checks in different parts of Finland. 
The use of automatic speed cameras is lower than in 2017, due to problems in the speed ticket 
process. 

Also, for Finland, updating and monitoring speeds and speed limits is a continuous process. 

Safe Roads 

Regarding the Safe Roads pillar, based on the self-reported assessment all related measures 
are on track.  

10 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table 10.9: 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 (2021) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Progress 
(2021-2024) 

on track 

on track 

not applicable 

not applicable 

on track 

on track 

In  particular,  legislation  is  being  prepared  on  the  powers  of  cities  to  better  manage 
micromobility.  

Concerning urban infrastructure for VRUs, measures are implemented annually as part of 
the basic road maintenance and development projects. 5-30 million euros are distributed from 
the state to pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure annually. 

Concerning  road  safety  designs,  Finland  starts  from  a  high  level,  aiming  to  maintain  and 
ensure the required quality level throughout the country. 

In relation to road safety audits and inspections, the implementation of network-wide road 
safety assessment was completed in 20247. 

Safe Vehicles 

In relation to the pillar of Safe Vehicles, the measures of the national traffic safety strategy 
concerns only the automation preparation, which is on track. 

Table 10.10: 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 (2021) 

- 

- 

- 

- 

Progress 
(2021-2024) 

not applicable 

not applicable 

not applicable 

on track 

So  far,  a  memorandum  proposing  legislative  amendments  related  to  automation 
preparation is currently under consultation. 

7More info at: https://www.doria.fi/handle/10024/189152 and https://www.doria.fi/handle/10024/189153 

11 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Post Crash Care 

The current Finnish strategy does not contain any measures related to the pillar of Post-Crash 
Care.  

Table 10.11: 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 (2021) 

- 

- 

Progress 
(2021-2024) 

not applicable 

not applicable 

According to  the self-reported assessment,  among  the main challenges in implementing the 
traffic  safety  strategy  is  the  lack  of  special  funding  for  the  implementation  of  the  actions 
included  in  the  strategy.  Most  of  the  actions  are  planned  to  be  implemented  with  current 
resources of the responsibility parties and by retargeting activities. Additionally, the lack of 
clear interim targets and indicators has been identified as a challenge. 

5. Conclusions and Recommendations 

In the Finnish Traffic Safety Strategy 2022-2026, the targets of halving the numbers of road 
fatalities and serious injuries by 2030 compared to 2020 have been set. These interim goals 
guide the traffic safety work towards the zero vision of 2050. In the action plan included in the 
traffic safety strategy 2022-2026, 103 traffic safety measures have been defined, grouped under 
seven strategic guidelines. Out of these traffic safety measures, 67 concern road safety.  

In 2024, Finland was among the best performing countries in the European Union in terms 
of fatality rates (6th with the lowest fatality rate). Compared to the EU average, the distribution 
of fatalities in Finland showed a high proportion of car occupants and fatalities on roads outside 
urban areas. 
Based on preliminary data, between 2019 and 2024, a decrease of 15% in road fatalities was 
recorded.  The  number  of  serious  injuries  decreased  by  3%  over  the  period  2019-2023. 
Therefore, Finland is close to being on track to meet the 2030 target of halving the number 
of fatalities but needs further efforts to meet the target of a 50% reduction in serious injuries.  

It  is  noted  that  only  the  numbers  of  fatalities  inside  urban  areas  and  pedestrian  fatalities 
increased over the period 2019-2023. 

Regarding the progress of the implementation of the road safety actions foreseen in the national 
strategy  for  the  period  2022-2024,  there  is  a  smooth  implementation  flow.  All  planned 
measures are well on track, which is also partially reflected in the progress made in terms of 
road safety outcomes (fatalities). Finland is making good progress towards meeting the 2030 
fatality  target,  though  is  not  quite  on  track.  For  serious  injuries,  progress  has  been  slow. 
Possible actions include:  

•  setting a dedicated road safety fund to accelerate the implementation of specific actions, 
•  exploring  any  other  relevant  activities,  with  special  emphasis  on  those  preventing 

serious injuries. 

12