Issue 3 of the *Bezpečná doprava* newsletter (2026) has been published. It features an overview of accident figures for the first half of the year, an assessment of the BESIP Strategy, new KPIs, CDV research and the latest international trends in road safety.
The Transport Research Centre and BESIP have published the third issue of the specialist newsletter *Safe Transport* for 2026. It provides a detailed assessment of the implementation of the BESIP Strategy 2021–2030 for January to June 2026 and for the entire period of its validity to date, sets out an expansion of key indicators, and provides an overview of current research activities and international trends.
Accident statistics for the first half of 2026 and for the entire period during which the BESIP Strategy has been in force
As is customary, the latest issue of the newsletter opens with a detailed analysis of accident trends on Czech roads. During the first six months of 2026, 181 people were killed on our roads, representing a 21 per cent increase compared with the projections set out in the BESIP Strategy 2021–2030. The number of people seriously injured reached 726, which corresponds to a slight increase of 1 per cent.
Looking at the cumulative figures since the strategy came into effect (2021–2026), we have recorded a total of 2,419 fatalities (+3 per cent compared with the target) and 9,090 seriously injured people (-10 per cent compared with the projected trend). The long-term downward trend in accidents caused by drink-driving (-21 per cent) or incorrect overtaking remains positive news. Conversely, analysts identify continuing areas for improvement in relation to the influence of addictive substances, accident rates on motorways and the proportion of foreign nationals involved in serious road traffic accidents.
Expansion of key performance indicators (KPIs) and a new supplementary target
The main theme of this issue focuses on the modernisation and expansion of the safety monitoring system. The newsletter outlines the introduction of a new supplementary cumulative target, which helps to eliminate random annual fluctuations and provides a more stable picture of the actual progress towards the ‘Vision Zero’ goal. At the same time, the existing key performance indicators (KPIs) are being broken down in greater detail.
The new metrics now include a more detailed categorisation of pedestrians, a distinction between cyclists wearing and not wearing helmets, a detailed breakdown of goods vehicles (categories N1 to N3), a separate assessment of the influence of alcohol and other intoxicating substances, and a more precise age structure of drivers. This step will enable much more precise targeting of prevention campaigns and targeted investment in infrastructure.
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Interesting findings from CDV research: The newsletter provides a detailed analysis of the results of new studies focusing on user behaviour on shared-use paths, the effectiveness of speed-reduction measures from the perspective of the ‘novelty effect’, the real-world impacts of introducing widespread 30 km/h zones, and the specific risks associated with the use of technically modified e-bikes.
International trends: Pedestrian safety and micro-mobility regulations
In the final section, the newsletter provides valuable inspiration from abroad. Particular attention is paid to the impact of the growing proportion of SUVs on the severity of injuries sustained by vulnerable road users (pedestrians and cyclists), and to EU initiatives aimed at harmonising the rules for the emerging micro-mobility sector in cities.