25.07.2024
Claims decreased: 166,525, -0.4% and deaths: 3,039, -3.8%; the number of injured increased: 224,634, +0.5%. Social costs equal to 22.3 billion.
In 2023 in which Italians’ travel habits have returned to pre-pandemic levels, road accident statistics show a slight improvement in the number of victims and a limited increase in accidents and injuries. Last year, in fact, 166,525 accidents occurred on Italian roads (+0.4%), with 3,039 deaths (-3.8%) and 224,634 injuries (+0.5%). Compared to 2019 – benchmark for the decade 2021-2030 – accidents decreased by 3.3%, deaths by 4.2% and injuries by 6.9%. On average, 456 accidents occurred every day (19 every hour), 615 injuries (25.6 every hour) and 8.3 deaths (1 every 3 hours). The social cost of road accidents with personal injuries amounts to almost 18 billion euros (1% of the national GDP). Adding the 4.3 billion euros of social costs for damage to property, we reach 22.3 billion euros (equal to 1.1% of GDP). These are some of the essential data from the ACI-ISTAT Report on road accidents 2023, starting todayonline.
Mortality rate: 5.2 per 100 thousand inhabitants. 13 Regions above the national average – increasing in large municipalities: 4.6 (4.2 in 2022)
In 2023, the mortality rate – number of deaths per 100 thousand inhabitants – is higher than the national average (5.2) in 13 Regions. Specifically: Sardinia (7.0), Bolzano (6.7), Trento and Veneto (6.4), Emilia-Romagna (6.3), Marche, Lazio and Puglia (6.0), Calabria (5, 9), Abruzzo (5.7), Tuscany and Molise (5.5), Umbria (5.3). In 2023, the road accidents recorded in the large municipalities (Turin, Milan, Verona, Venice, Trieste, Genoa, Bologna , Florence, Rome, Naples, Bari, Palermo, Messina, Catania) represented 25.5% of the total (42,496). 429 victims (14.1%) increased by 10.0% compared to 2022 (+22.2% compared to 2019). The road fatality rate rose to 4.6 (4.2 in 2022, 3.4 in 2021) against a national average of 5.2.
Mortality rate: 4.1 extra-urban, 2.7 motorways, 1.1 urban
The mortality rate (deaths per 100 accidents) remains higher on extra-urban roads (4.1: 4.3 in 2022) – it drops on motorways (2.7: 3.5 in 2022), while on urban roads (1 ,1) is identical to last year. The national average (1.8) is practically unchanged since 2010.
Main causes: distraction (15.1% total), right of way/traffic lights (12.9%), speed (8.4%)
“Distracted driving or indecisive driving” (33,144 accidents: 15.1% of the total), failure to respect the right of way or traffic lights (28,389 accidents: 12.9%) and too high speed (18,524: 8.4%) are confirmed as the main ones causes of accidents. Overall, these three behaviors are responsible for 80,057 accidents: 36.5% of the total. This is followed by: irregular maneuvers (e.g. reversing, inversion, irregular maneuver to stop or cross the road: 16,828 cases: 7.7%) and failure to respect the safety distance (15,172 cases: 6.9%). Failure to give way to pedestrians (7,454) and incorrect behavior by pedestrians (6,241) represent, respectively, 3.4% and 2.8% of the causes of accidents.
Victims: scooters increasing, pedestrians stable, trucks, motorbikes, cars and mopeds decreasing
Victims among drivers of electric scooters are increasing (21, there were 16 in 2022; accidents went from 2,929 in 2022 to 3,365, injuries from 2,787 to 3,195), bicycles and electric bicycles (212: 205 in 2022 = +3 ,4%). Pedestrians remained stable (485 deaths), truck occupants (112: -32.5%), motorcyclists (734: -6.0%), car occupants (1,332: -3.1%) and moped riders (68) decreased. : -2.9%)
Mortality risk: greater exposure: bicycles and scooters
High exposure to mortality risk for drivers of electric bicycles and scooters involved in accidents with cars or single vehicles. Motorized two-wheelers record a high number of accidents in collisions with cars, light commercial vehicles and isolated vehicles. Pedestrians present a greater risk than other users when they collide with cars and industrial vehicles.
Vulnerable users: 50% of road deaths. Pedestrians are 4 times more at risk than car occupants
The most vulnerable users represent 50% of road deaths (49.3% in 2022, 50.9% in 2021 and 51.4% in 2020). For pedestrians, the mortality rate (2.6 per 100 accidents) is 4 times higher than that of car occupants (0.7); that of motorcyclists (1.6) is 2.4 times higher; that of drivers and passengers of bicycles – electric or otherwise – and scooters (1.1 deaths), twice as high.
Victims: maximum increase between 75-79 years (+23.6%); also increasing 5-9 years (from 8 to 13 victims) and 45-49 (+1.8%)
As regards the distribution by age, the victims are concentrated in the 20-29 year old and 45-59 year old age groups for men, and over 55 years old for women. Compared to 2022, the most significant increases were recorded for age groups over 70 (with a more significant increase for the 75-79 age group: +23.6%), but also for children between 5 and 9 years of age (from 8 to 13 victims) and 45-49 year olds (+1.8%). Of particular note is the share of children (0 to 14 years) who died in road accidents: 41, 28 of whom were between 5 and 14 years old , increasing compared to previous years: 39 in 2022, 28 in 2021, 37 in 2020 and 35 in 2019.
Fines: 6.8 million: 18.7 thousand/day, 780/hour. No parking and speeding are the most penalized behaviors
The fines for violations of the rules of conduct imposed by the Traffic Police, the Carabinieri and the Local Police of the provincial capital municipalities were more than 6.8 million: on average, 18,716 per day, 780 per hour, 13 per minute. Violations of parking regulations (3,156,218, 37.4% of the total) and driving too fast (3,119,247: 37%) remain, once again, the most sanctioned behaviors (38.7% of the total) . In third place is failure to comply with road markings and traffic lights (756,830: 9%). Fines for not wearing a helmet increased sharply (+52%) (63,881), while those for drunk driving increased slightly (+3.6%) (39,046), slightly decreasing (-3.1%) instead, those for failure to use seat belts and child restraint systems (160,339: 1.9% of the total). The number of sanctions for improper use of radiotelephones and headphones is always high (over 100 thousand from high fines from the traffic police and local police).