The figures show a clear discrepancy in road safety. While fatalities among motorised road users fell by 2 percent annually, fatal accidents among cyclists only decreased by 0.5 percent per year. The ETSC report presented in Brussels on 21 April 2026 highlights the scale of the problem.
To achieve the EU target of halving road deaths by 2030, an annual reduction of 6.5 per cent would be necessary. This corresponds to 13 times the current rate of progress for cyclists. Their share of all road deaths in the EU is 10 per cent. Without improvements, this proportion will continue to rise, explains the ETSC in its press release.
Road safety Dark figure
The number of serious injuries among cyclists recorded by the police rose by 12 per cent between 2014 and 2024. Hospital data indicate a much higher number of unreported cases. In some countries, less than 10 per cent of injured cyclists appear in police statistics. The actual number of injuries is therefore considerably higher than the official figures.
Collisions with motor vehicles as the main hazard
65 per cent of cyclist fatalities in the EU result from collisions with motor vehicles. Cars are the most common cause of accidents, accounting for 44 per cent. Lorries cause 9 per cent of fatal accidents, vans 7 per cent. The remaining 28 per cent of fatalities occur without the involvement of other vehicles, for example due to falls or collisions with kerbs and stationary objects. The ETSC calls on national governments and the European Commission to prioritise speed reduction. The risk of death for a cyclist in a collision at 50 km/h is many times higher than at 30 km/h. Lower speeds are among the most effective measures available to protect cyclists.
More road safety through structural separation
According to the report, the physical separation of cyclists and fast motorised traffic is crucial for real improvements in road safety. Where separation is not possible, safe speed limits must be enforced. Investment in physically separated cycling infrastructure with protected cycle lanes, dedicated cycle paths and safe crossings must be significantly increased across Europe.
Smooth, sufficiently wide cycle paths without obstacles can also reduce injuries and fatalities caused by falls or collisions with objects on the carriageway. Governments across Europe are encouraging citizens to switch from car to bike for environmental and health reasons. The lack of safe infrastructure is at odds with this.
Jenny Carson, co-author of the report, explains: "Governments are encouraging more people to cycle - for the climate, to reduce congestion and fossil fuel use, for public health and for cities. But they are not creating the safe conditions that cyclists need and deserve. You can't encourage people to cycle and then not protect them from fast traffic. Lower speeds are needed where cyclists and motor vehicles share space, and segregated infrastructure where speed limits are above 30 km/h.
Road safety risk groups
Although a lack of safe infrastructure and excessive speeds remain the main problems, research cited in the report shows that helmets can reduce head injuries by 51 per cent and fatal head injuries by 72 per cent.
Older cyclists bear a disproportionately high risk. The mortality rate rises sharply for over 80-year-olds. The growing use of e-bikes, especially by older riders, further increases the risk of accidents. Men account for 80 percent of cyclists killed, which is presumably due to longer distances travelled and riskier behaviour.
In countries that differentiate between bicycle types, fatalities among e-bike users are rising, while they are falling among conventional cyclists. This development emphasises the need for specific safety measures for electrically assisted bicycles.
ETSC recommendations
The ETSC calls for the introduction and enforcement of 30 km/h speed limits on urban roads where cyclists and motor vehicles share the space. Investment in segregated cycle infrastructure with protected lanes, dedicated paths and safe junction design must increase significantly. Smooth, obstacle-free cycle paths should prevent single-vehicle accidents.
The European Commission should publish expert guidelines on the quality of infrastructure for vulnerable road users. The introduction of vehicle safety technologies such as automatic emergency braking systems with cyclist detection must be accelerated across the entire EU fleet.
Data collection on cyclist injuries is to be improved, including through mandatory hospital reporting. This will make it easier to understand the true extent of the damage. Performance indicators for cyclist safety should become part of national and EU-wide road safety strategies. National governments should develop national cycling strategies with road safety targets and measures. The ETSC also recommends promoting the wearing of helmets among cyclists.
Kristian Bauer
Editor
