Does lowering speed limits have an impact on road deaths and injuries in Europe?
Lower speed limits in cities are reducing road deaths and injuries without increasing congestion or journey times, a new Eurocities survey reveals. Around 75% of European cities which have introduced 30 km/h...
Lower speed limits in cities are reducing road deaths and injuries without increasing congestion or journey times, a new Eurocities survey reveals.
Around 75% of European cities which have introduced 30 km/h limits in targeted areas have reported fewer road deaths and injuries.
The study was based on responses from 38 cities in 19 European countries, including France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, and Germany.
These figures come as the EU aims to reach zero road deaths by 2050, in an initiative known as "Vision Zero".
Most cities have prioritised reduced speeds in specific zones, such as residential areas, historic centres or school zones, while 57% of cities said that more than half of their road network is now operating with speed limits below 50km/h, according to the report.
It said that the surveyed cities' implementation of speed reductions was done in a gradual, targeted way rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.
What was the impact of speed limits?
Around 19,400 deaths occurred on European roads in 2025, with car drivers and passengers representing 44% of all fatalities, according to the latest preliminary figures from the European Commission.
The cost of road crashes in the EU has been estimated at 2% of GDP annually, with life-changing injuries often meaning permanent disability, chronic pain and lost livelihoods, the Commission said.
But it seems that lowering speed limits is indeed helping to turn the tide: the Eurocities study shows that more than nine in 10 of the surveyed cities reported some positive effects on road safety in the short and medium term.
The cities' authorities said they saw fewer accidents, fatalities and serious injuries for all road users, alongside lower vehicle speeds and reduced noise pollution.
Despite some claims that 30 km/h speed limits lead to increased traffic congestion and higher congestion costs, the speed limit showed no overall negative effects on congestion, traffic volumes or journey times, and only limited, manageable impacts on public transport, according to Eurocities.
However, the change has faced pushback: during planning and rollout, nearly half of the cities reported political opposition, while more than a third faced resistance from the public.
After implementing their speed limits, 65% of the 38 European cities surveyed observed no setbacks, with the political opposition and the public resistance dropping significantly.
"Once people experience the benefits of safer, calmer streets, support grows quickly, and resistance fades," Michele Campaniello, chair of the Eurocities Task Force on 30km/h, said.
