BELGRADE – Preliminary 2025 road safety data published by the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community show that road fatalities in the Western Balkans increased in 2025, reversing the previous downward trend and underlining the need for stronger implementation of road safety measures across the region.
According to the report, 1,287 people lost their lives in road crashes in the Western Balkans in 2025, compared with 1,225 in 2024. This is the highest number recorded since 2019, however it represents a 2.1% reduction compared with the 2019 baseline, leaving the region behind the objective of halving road deaths by 2030. The 2025 figures are provisional and may be revised, with final data expected in the last quarter of 2026.
The data show that road safety progress remains uneven. Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia recorded fewer fatalities than in 2024, while Albania, Kosovo* and Bosnia and Herzegovina saw increases. Bosnia and Herzegovina recorded the largest rise, from 222 fatalities in 2024 to 288 in 2025. Among observing participants, Moldova continued to improve, reducing fatalities from 209 to 189, while Georgia recorded an increase from 444 to 469.
When population size is taken into account, the gap with the European Union remains significant. In 2025, the Western Balkans recorded an average of 78 road fatalities per million inhabitants, compared with the EU average of 43. This means that, on average, the fatality rate from crashes in the Western Balkans remains around 81% higher than in the EU. Montenegro recorded the highest rate among the regional partners, with 107 fatalities per million inhabitants, while Kosovo recorded the lowest, with 62. Georgia recorded 128 fatalities per million inhabitants.
The findings show that regional partners have made progress in aligning their road safety policies with EU standards, however the implementation of these measure should further improve. The report notes that 55% of road safety measures under the Transport Community’s Next Generation Road Safety Action Plan have been implemented, including actions related to enforcement, infrastructure improvements and awareness campaigns.
The report also points to the importance of better data collection. Reliable and comparable road safety data help governments understand where crashes happen, who is most at risk and which measures can save lives. Alignment with the EU CARE data model remains a challenge, with Serbia currently fulfilling the criteria. The other regional partners are in the process of aligning with the requirements of the EU CARE, most notably North Macedonia and Montenegro.
The Transport Community will continue supporting regional partners in implementing the Next Generation Road Safety Action Plan 2025–2027. Key priorities include the deployment of the 112 emergency number and interoperable eCall systems, improved crash data collection, stronger enforcement, better road safety management, inspections of high-risk corridors and the establishment of effective road safety agencies.
In late 2026, the Permanent Secretariat of the Transport Community will also launch a regional road safety awareness campaign, focusing in particular on seat belt and child restraint use. The campaign will build on the findings of the WESTBELT study, which identified gaps in the use of seat belts, especially among rear-seat passengers and children.
Read the report here.
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* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.
