Despite the extremely “optimistic” figures and the propaganda about “road safety”, Albania continues to hold the first place in the region for the number of fatalities in road accidents. The latest data from the World Health Organization ranks our country as the most problematic in the Balkans for the loss of lives on the roads.
According to this report, Albania records 10.8 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants from road accidents, leaving behind all countries in the region. Montenegro ranks second, but with significantly lower figures, about two fewer fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants compared to Albania.
North Macedonia has almost half of Albania's figures, with 5.7 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants. Greece and Italy, countries with much higher traffic and vehicle density, also perform better in this ranking, with 7.3 and 5 fatalities per 100,000 inhabitants, respectively.
While Albania's roads bleed almost daily, the country still lacks a clear, functional, and long-term strategy for reducing the number of accidents and fatalities. Sporadic measures, temporary controls, and formal campaigns are not yielding any real impact on the ground.
Road safety experts emphasize that, in addition to careless driving and serious violations by drivers, a major role in the increase in accidents is played by depreciated infrastructure and incorrect road signage or its absence on many problematic segments of national and urban roads.
In conditions where statistics speak clearly and human losses increase from year to year, road safety in Albania remains a clear state failure and a daily threat to the lives of citizens.
