On 16 February 2026, the European Commission released its Mid Point Progress Report on the EU Road Safety Policy Framework 2021 to 2030, assessing Europe’s trajectory towards Vision Zero, the goal of eliminating road deaths and serious injuries by 2050.
The report sets out a series of ambitious measures that require joint action by EU institutions, member states, and local authorities to speed up essential interventions. The Commission will focus on five key areas:
- making infrastructure safer and developing smart transport systems;
- improving road law enforcement and discouraging dangerous driving;
- rolling out vehicle safety technologies; supporting new forms of mobility;
- and advancing road safety research.
Thought countries like Poland, Lithuania and Slovenia have achieved reductions of 33% to 35 % since 2019, while Czechia reports a 20 % decrease and remains on track, key challenges persist such as behavioural risk factors such as speeding, drink driving, distracted driving, and not wearing seat belts, as well as systemic challenges including limited enforcement, insufficient funding, and fragmented governance structures. New challenges have also emerged, including the rise of electric scooters and personal mobility devices, demographic changes linked to an ageing population, and the gradual introduction of autonomous vehicles.
The Commission urges member states to ensure that road safety governance and coordination structures work effectively, to provide adequate funding, and to commit to regular monitoring and reporting of progress. Following their initial assessment of road network safety, member states are encouraged to implement a systematic programme to eliminate high-risk spots. Local and regional authorities are asked to take a comprehensive approach that integrates safety into land use and transport planning, provide infrastructure suitable for vulnerable road users, and develop emergency response capabilities.
To achieve its 2030 safety goals, the European Commission is prioritising infrastructure upgrades, stricter cross-border enforcement, modernised vehicle inspections for new technologies, enhanced protection for vulnerable road users in urban centres, and data-driven research on demographic risks.
ERTICO and its partners stand ready to contribute to this next phase, ensuring that innovation, digitalisation and intelligent transport systems continue to support safer roads across Europe.
Sources:
European Commission. (2026, February 16). European Commission remains committed to halving road deaths by 2030. European Commission - Mobility and Transport. https://transport.ec.europa.eu/news-events/news/european-commission-remains-committed-halving-road-deaths-2030-2026-02-16_en
European Commission. (2026, February 13). Report on the implementation of the EU road safety policy framework at the mid-point (COM/2026/77 final). https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=COM%3A2026%3A77%
Source: European Commission