Young men four times more likely to die on EU roads than young women

This age group represents 20% of the population of the EU, but makes up 30% of the total number of road deaths. Mortality of young people - number of deaths divided by population - is 69% higher than the corresponding figure for people of all other ages.

The latest Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) Flash also reveals that young males are a particularly problematic group, making up 81% of the number of young people killed on EU roads.

Portugal, Latvia and Spain lead the pack in reducing the number of young people road deaths and they are followed by Estonia, Slovenia and Luxembourg. Good progress was also made in Sweden, The Netherlands and Switzerland, who have become the safest countries in terms of young people killed per young inhabitants3. Young people in these countries benefitted not only from measures specific to young people but also from general road safety measures, enforcement efforts and improvements in infrastructure.

"Member States must make the fight against road deaths among young people a specific priority if they want to achieve the EU 2020 road safety target and their national targets," said Antonio Avenoso, ETSC4 Executive Director upon the publication of the PIN Flash.

General road safety policies will bear fruit in reducing road deaths among young people. Specific measures for novice drivers, such as tighter blood alcohol limits, stricter demerit point systems or provisions for accompanied driving while gaining experience, will reduce the high risks they face immediately after the licence for solo driving has been awarded.

"And we urge Member States not to lower the minimum age for moped riding or solo car driving when transposing the EU Driving Licence Directive into national laws", added Professor Richard Allsop, of University College London, Chair of the PIN Programme.