2020 posted highest number of cycling casualties in 25 years

2020 saw the highest number of cycling casualties in the last 25 years with 229 deaths reported. One third of all bicycle fatalities were on an e-bike. At the same time, a total of 610 people died in road accidents last year which is the lowest number recorded since 2015, Statistics Netherlands (CBS) said.

Most victims of road accidents in the Netherlands last year were cyclists. The number of casualties reported equaled 229, 26 more than in 2019 and one more than in 2018. Of those who died in 2020, 74 were killed on an e-bike. In comparison, 2019 saw a total of 65 e-bike accidents on Dutch roads.

In 2020, 195 died in car-related accidents in the Netherlands, 42 fewer than in 2019. Additionally, deaths of 44 motorcyclists, 41 pedestrians, 33 moped and light-moped drivers, 34 scooter drivers and 23 drivers of delivery vans or trucks were also reported on Dutch roads last year.

Half of all the victims of traffic accidents were 60 years or older. Regarding the age of people who died in road accidents last year, there were no major differences compared to the figures from the previous year. Road fatalities involving people over 60 are still occurring more often after bicycle crashes, while victims younger than 60 are the likely fatal victims in car-related accidents. 

The CBS also announced that the region in which most road accidents occurred last year was Noord-Brabant (99), while the death toll also increased in Zeeland, Groningen and Friesland. At the same time, Overijssel, Utrecht and Flevoland saw fewer accidents compared to years before.