July’s traffic accident fatality numbers hit a record low

Just nine people died on the Danish roads last month

Summer is usually a dangerous time of year when it comes to traffic in Denmark. But this year has been an exception.

Figures from the road authority Vejdirektoratet have revealed that just nine people were killed in traffic accidents in Denmark in July, down by over 50 percent compared to 2014 and the lowest ever number for July.

“We are in the middle of a year that looks set to beat all records in terms of the number of people killed,” said Marianne Foldberg Steffensen, a department head for Vejdirektoratet.

“We haven’t seen a month with over 14 people killed over the whole of 2015. That’s never happened before, and the low July numbers support that positive development.”

READ MORE: Another banner year for traffic deaths

More accidents this July
Steffensen contended that the recent focus on speeding could have had a considerable effect on the numbers.

Furthermore, Vejdirektoratet has stepped up efforts to improve safety for motorists, including rebuilding crossroads, establishing speed-reducing measures and improving driving conditions on key motorways.

The figures showed there were 259 accidents that caused physical damage to people in July, which is actually higher than the 249 from July 2014. While there were fewer deaths, there were more injured this July: up from 277 to 304.