A new ranking of the safest and most dangerous European countries for drivers has been published, based on road accident fatality rates for 2026.
Serbia tops the list of the deadliest countries for driving in Europe, recording 74 road accident deaths per million inhabitants, a figure that is about 72% above the European Union average, according to a study by Vignette Switzerland.
This is the second year in a row that Serbia ranks first for the highest number of road fatalities, although the latest figures are slightly lower than last year.
It is followed by Bulgaria, with 71 deaths per million inhabitants, and Romania, with 68 deaths per million inhabitants, placing Eastern Europe at the top of the list of the most dangerous countries for drivers.
In addition to these, several popular tourist destinations such as Portugal, Greece, Italy and France are also ranked among the 10 deadliest countries for driving in Europe,
On the other hand, Nordic countries like Norway and Sweden remain safer, with only 19 deaths per million inhabitants, making them almost four times safer than Serbia.
In terms of improvement, Lithuania has seen a significant 43% reduction in road accident deaths over the last decade.
Long-term progress has also been shown in Latvia (37%), Bulgaria (36%), Greece (35%) and Hungary (30%). However, progress has stalled in some tourist destinations such as Portugal, where deaths have fallen by just 1% since 2015, and France, with a modest decrease of 6%.

Experts advise travelers to be cautious, check local regulations, and plan their routes carefully, as safety standards vary significantly from one country to another.
We can further look at the situation in Serbia, the accidents in Bulgaria, the danger in Romania, or the improvement in Lithuania.