“59 people died in traffic on Estonian roads, a number far too high for our small country,” said Priit Sauk, Director General of the Transport Administration. “At the same time we are falling further behind on the goal set by the traffic safety programme for the average number of road fatalities in a year to not exceed 44 people.” He added that, based on the results for 2023, there are no significant changes in road users' behaviour compared to the previous two years, and the long-term indicators show a slight negative trend or stagnation.
"I urge every road user to remember that our own behaviour on the road has the greatest influence on whether road accidents happen or not," said Sauk. “Each of us has to ensure that we do not endanger ourselves or other road users.”
According to Police Lieutenant Colonel Sirle Loigo, merely monitoring the situation is not enough to improve road conditions and road users’ behavioural patterns. “In the name of road safety, we must also review current legislation, such as by raising fines that have become outdated. At the same time, we have to find ways to get dangerous drivers and repeat offenders off the road.”
The number of road accidents recorded in May, July and September of 2023 was the highest it has been in ten years, numbering a total of 642 accidents. The worst months for casualties were May, October, November and December, when a total of 29 people died. Highway accidents accounted for 69% of all road accidents (36 accidents). Last year there were 9 days when no-one was injured on the roads, while in 2022 there were 21 such days.
The causes behind fatal accidents are similar to those in previous years: speeding, drunk driving, overly trusting familiar surroundings, darkness, winter road conditions, heavy rain, limited visibility, poor use of safety equipment and means of making oneself visible, dangerous manoeuvres and the physical condition of road users.
In 2023, the number of drunk driving checks increased by 7%, totalling almost 970,000. In 2023, 6300 cases of driving while under the influence or while exceeding the legal alcohol limit were registered, which is 5% more than in the preceding year. The number of accidents involving intoxicated cyclists increased to 66, while the number of accidents involving intoxicated pedestrians decreased to 15. 148 people were injured and 16 killed in road accidents involving a drunk driver.
In 2023, almost 80,000 traffic misdemeanours and just over 2500 traffic criminal offenses were recorded. Almost 261,000 infringements were detected through automatic monitoring. Compared to 2022, the number of traffic misdemeanours did not change, but the number of criminal offenses decreased by just over 10%.
More than 2900 breaches of requirements for the use of safety equipment were recorded, which is the same as in 2022.
However, there is an increasingly negative trend in child safety equipment non-compliance, with nearly 250 cases recorded in 2023, or 15% more than the previous year.
In 2023, 6 ship accidents and 10 dangerous cases were registered in Estonian maritime and inland waters. No fatalities occurred, but one person was injured. In 2023, there were no accidents with injuries or fatalities involving recreational craft, which is a good result given the growing popularity of recreational boating.
In 2023, a total of 2079 incidents regarding aviation safety were recorded, of which 5 were serious incidents, including one in Rae rural municipality in the village of Aruvalla, where a gyrocopter crashed resulting in the death of its pilot. Compared to the previous year, the number of registered incidents has increased by almost 23%. This is due to increasing air traffic, the emergence of new aviation related businesses and an increasing culture of registering incidents.
In 2023, the Transport Administration improved road safety in 39 locations in 13 Estonian counties, investing a total of €5.5 million. Of the reconstructed locations, 22 were situated on main and basic roads and 17 on secondary roads. The highest number of dangerous locations (9) were made safer in Tartu County. Eight dangerous locations were reconstructed in Harju County. In addition, reconstruction work was done at 5 bus stops.
