00:00Does lowering speed limits have an impact on road deaths and injuries in Europe?
00:08Some 75% of European cities which have introduced 30 km per hour limits in targeted areas have reported fewer
00:16road deaths and injuries.
00:18That's according to a EuroCities survey based on responses from 38 cities in 19 European countries.
00:25Around 19,400 deaths occurred on European roads in 2025, with car drivers and passengers representing 44% of all
00:35fatalities.
00:36Most cities have prioritized reduced speeds in specific zones such as residential areas, historic centers or school zones,
00:43while 57% of cities said that more than half of their road network is now operating with speed limits
00:49below 50 km per hour.
00:52More than 9 in 10 of these cities reported some positive effects in the short and medium term.
00:58Cities said they saw fewer accidents and serious injuries for all road users, alongside reduced noise pollution.
01:05Despite some claims that 30 km per hour speed limits lead to increased traffic congestion and higher congestion costs,
01:12the speed limit showed no overall negative effects on congestion, traffic volumes or journey times.
01:18However, this change faced pushback during planning and rollout.
01:23Nearly half of the cities reported political opposition, while more than a third faced public resistance.
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