Road deaths in Cyprus increased by 10 per cent last year compared to 2024, preliminary figures released by the European Commission on Tuesday showed.

In 2025 there were 46 road deaths in Cyprus, compared to 42 the previous year – a 10 per cent rise.

However, 2025 saw a 13 per cent decrease in fatalities compared to 2019.

The numbers cited are per million inhabitants.

The Commission reported around 19,400 road fatalities across the EU in 2025. This represents a three per cent decrease from 2024, meaning that 580 fewer people died on European roads.

“Given the increase in vehicles on EU roads and kilometres driven, this is a significant achievement,” the Commission said.

“However, the preliminary data also highlights the need for sustained efforts at all levels as most member states are not yet on track to meet the EU’s goal of halving road deaths and serious injuries by 2030.”

For every fatality, an estimated five people are seriously injured. This means that around 100,000 people across the EU suffer serious injuries in traffic accidents each year.

According to the Commission, the available data for 2024 show that rural roads continue to be the most dangerous, with 53 per cent of traffic fatalities occurring there, compared with 38 per cent in urban areas and 8 per cent on motorways.

Overall across the EU, men (77 per cent) vastly outnumber women (23 per cent) in road deaths.