In the first half of this year, 231 people were killed in traffic, which is 39 percent more than at the beginning of last year. In Flanders, the number of road deaths rose from 99 to 113. This is the highest number since 2016. In Wallonia, the increase was even greater than in Flanders. This is evident from the road safety barometer of the Vias traffic institute. 

During the first 6 months of this year, the number of road deaths on the spot increased by 39% compared to the same period last year (231 deaths compared to 166). We are therefore at almost the same level as 2019, the last year before the corona pandemic, when 236 people died in the first semester.

At the national level, we see the most worrying trend among pedestrians. There the number of deaths rises from 13 to 35. This increase cannot be explained solely by the terrible accident in Strépy in which 6 pedestrians were killed.

accidents with an e-step continues to rise

At the national level, the number of injury crashes is increasing for all types of road users, except for truck crashes. That number remains stable. The number of injury crashes involving an e-step has more than doubled (from 339 to 846). In Flanders, the number of accidents involving an e-step also doubles (from 181 to 388). 

The number of crashes involving cyclists is also increasing by more than 20%. There were 4581 injury accidents, the highest number we recorded in the last 10 years. The increase was particularly significant for electric bicycles in Flanders. There were 1433 injury accidents compared to 977 last year. That is an increase of 47%.

The results of the road safety barometer show an increase in the number of deaths on our roads. We are now at approximately the same level as before the corona pandemic in 2019. There has been no structural decrease in the number of road deaths in our country over the past 5 years. This barometer shows more than ever that the challenge lies in better protecting all vulnerable road users.