This represented a rise of 165 accidents (a 10.5 percent rise) and thus a move away from, and not towards, stated road safety goals.

Speaking at a press conference, Transport Administration (Transpordiamet) director Priit Sauk said: "The traffic safety situation on our roads is definitely not a good one. Behavior in traffic is taking a somewhat negative direction."

"Furthermore, we are certainly moving away from the goals set out in the road safety program, where road fatalities should not exceed 44 people per year, on average," Sauk went on.

Meanwhile Maria Maria Pashkevich, who heads up the authority's traffic safety department, said that the figure for traffic accidents which result in either injuries or fatalities is at a five-year high.

Accidents involving a single vehicle are also becoming the most predominant kind.

The highest number of accidents took place in Tallinn and Harju County, the most populous part of the country, while the islands of Saaremaa and Hiiumaa, among the most sparsely populated regions, saw the fewest.

A total of 36 fatal road accidents (which includes pedestrians being struck by vehicles) were reported last year, with alcohol a factor in the case of a third of the drivers involved. Seven accidents involved more than one fatality, while 17 pedestrians are included in the total.

Police and Border guard Board (PPA) officer Sirle Loigo also said that speeding was more of a factor – the number of drivers caught exceeding the speed limit by over 60 km/h (so for instance traveling at 100 km/h or more in a 40 km/h zone) rose by 16 percent on year.

The months of May, July and September of 2023 each saw 10-year highs in terms of accident numbers, with a total of 642 for the three months.

Additionally, whereas last year there were only nine days where no single person was injured in a traffic accident, in 2022 the figure had been 21 days.

In addition to driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), speeding, overconfidence with familiar surroundings, darkness, weather conditions including winter conditions, and the use of safety equipment including reflectors in the case of pedestrians were all factors.

However, while the number of DUI tests conducted rose by around 7 percent on year, to a total of 970,000 tests administered by the PPA, the nearly 6,300 tests which returned positive for alcohol is in fact a 5 percent fall on year.

On the other hand, accidents involving cyclists who were under the influence rose, to 66, last year.

Almost 261,000 violations were detected in the course of automated monitoring (ie. mainly speed cameras).

Additionally, six accidents involving vessels were recorded in Estonia's waters last year, with no fatalities and one injury.

Five serious aviation incidents occurred last year, including one fatality in Rae Municipality involving a gyrocopter.

However the 2,079 safety cases registered overall in 2023 in aviation was up almost a quarter on year, which the board put down mainly to a rise in air traffic, the addition of some new airlines, and a greater awareness of the need to report incidents.

The board says it invested a total of €5.5 million last year in making safer known traffic hazard spots.

--

Follow ERR News on Facebook and Twitter and never miss an update!