Cycling is increasingly promoted as healthy and sustainable transport across Europe, but the safety data tells a more uncomfortable story. ETSC’s latest report says progress on cyclist safety is too slow, especially compared with the improvements seen for people in motor vehicles.
In 2024, 1,926 cyclists were killed on EU roads. Over the decade from 2014 to 2024, cyclist deaths fell by only 8 percent, while fatalities among motorised road users improved at a faster pace.
The report points directly at the conflict with motor traffic: around 65 percent of cyclist deaths involve collisions with motor vehicles. Passenger cars account for the largest share, while heavy goods vehicles and vans remain important risk factors.
ETSC’s recommendations are practical: 30 km/h limits on urban roads where bicycles share space with cars, high-quality separated cycle lanes where speeds are higher, safer junctions and better use of hospital injury data to understand the real scale of harm.
For Latvian cities, the message is direct. If cycling is meant to work as everyday transport, paint alone is not enough. Safe infrastructure, predictable speed and visible data decide whether people choose a bicycle beyond short summer trips.