Driving home for Christmas – road safety campaign urges caution

Christmas is a season of reunions for many. Families and friends come together, moving from home to home – and in some cases, from country to country – to share meals and drinks around the table.

These end of year celebrations inevitably result in heavier traffic and higher alcohol consumption – a combination that too often makes the festive period one of increased risk on the roads.

In response, the transport ministry’s Road Safety Council has launched a special road safety campaign during the holidays, urging the public to wear seatbelts and avoid drunk driving and speeding.

“In general, the periods during which we record an increase in drunk driving include festive times such as Christmas, New Year, Easter and the summer,” police told the Cyprus Mail.

Road safety is a year-round concern

While the holiday season demands extra caution on the roads, the challenge of road safety in Cyprus extends well beyond the festive period.

Traffic accidents are a familiar sight on the island. In the Cyprus Mail newsroom such incidents are a constant presence, often forming a significant part of daily reporting. Their regularity underlines a persistent problem and highlights the need for sustained efforts to improve road safety throughout the year.

This reality underlines the scale of the problem.

In 2024, 41 people lost their lives on Cyprus’ roads. That equates to more than three deaths per month – almost one fatal road collision every week.

This corresponds to a rate of 44 road deaths per million inhabitants, placing Cyprus close to the EU average of 45 deaths per million.

However, the picture across the bloc varies widely.

Sweden recorded just 20 road deaths per million inhabitants in 2024, while Romania ranked highest, with 78 fatalities per million.

Cyprus was nevertheless among 11 EU member states that managed to reduce both road deaths and serious injuries between 2014 and 2024.

Having established how the island compares at EU level, the question remains: what factors contribute most to road accidents in Cyprus?

“Young drivers, particularly men aged between 20 and 30, have the highest rates of driving under the influence of alcohol,” police told the Cyprus Mail.

Authorities added that this significantly increases crash risk due to a combination of limited driving experience and greater susceptibility to alcohol’s effects.

Authorities acknowledge the problem

The transport ministry has openly acknowledged the seriousness of the issue.

“Cyprus is committed to reducing the number of fatal and serious injury road accidents. This is the primary objective of the Road Safety Council, which focuses its efforts on constructing a safe road network,” Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades wrote in a column for the Cyprus Mail May 2025.

While outlining ongoing efforts, he also conceded that “despite all our efforts, we are far from reaching the set goals”.

Vafeades said improvements would involve not only safer infrastructure, but also stricter law enforcement and better driver education, beginning at school level.

Speaking to the Cyprus Mail, the police said that “excess and inappropriate speed are responsible for a high proportion of the mortality and morbidity resulting from road crashes,” police said.

Drivers are urged to respect speed limits, as higher speeds drastically reduce reaction time and increase stopping distance. The difference can be stark: a vehicle travelling at 50km/h typically requires around 13 metres to stop, while at 40km/h it can stop in under 8.5 metres – a difference caused by just 10km/h.

“An increase in average speed of 1km/h typically results in a three per cent higher risk of injury-related crashes and a four to five per cent increase in fatal crashes,” police said, adding that speed also worsens the severity of impact.

For car occupants, the risk is even clearer. At an impact speed of 80km/h, the likelihood of death is 20 times higher than at 30km/h, police warned.

What can be done to make Cyprus roads safer?

Despite awareness campaigns and enforcement, road accidents remain common. Social pressure is widely viewed as a contributing factor.

“I believe most young people are aware of road safety and learn about it during lessons, but peer pressure after passing their driving test can undo a lot of that knowledge,” the owner of Alex Driving School in Nicosia told the Cyprus Mail.

He said young drivers who are encouraged by friends to engage in risky behaviour are more likely to take chances, particularly at night.

Alex also argued that higher fines could improve road safety.

“Since the cameras were installed at traffic lights, people rarely cross the stop line, even if there are no cameras. The €300 fine makes a difference, but it should be higher to discourage other violations as well,” he said.

Asked whether increased lesson fees or additional training would help, he said education needed to start earlier.

“There should be police or road safety experts visiting high schools to show students what happens when you drink and drive or speed. Large companies such as Wolt, Bolt, Foody or DHL could also require their drivers to attend advanced driving courses,” he suggested.

A long-term strategy

The transport ministry said it is implementing a comprehensive road safety policy under the National Road Safety Strategic Plan 2021–2030, coordinated by the Road Safety Council and chaired by the transport minister.

The plan aims to reduce road fatalities and serious injuries by 50 per cent by 2030, in line with EU targets.

It includes 28 policies and 158 actions focusing on road safety governance, driver education, safer infrastructure and the promotion of safer vehicles.

“Through this strategy, we aim to create a safer road environment for all users, with particular attention to the most vulnerable groups,” Vafeades told the Cyprus Mail.

The Plan is based on targeted interventions across five key pillars including safer road users, safer infrastructure, safer vehicles, enforcement, and post-crash response.

“Approximately 80 per cent of the actions have already been implemented or are under way,” the ministry said, noting that progress is reviewed annually and adjusted where necessary.

An EU road safety report published in 2023 highlighted that Cyprus is the only member state with a 65km/h speed limit on urban roads, higher than most member states. It also noted weaker perceived enforcement and an older, larger vehicle fleet than the EU average.

These factors must be addressed if meaningful improvements are to be achieved.

A striking example comes from Helsinki, which recorded zero traffic-related fatalities in 2024. This was achieved through lower speed limits – with much of the city capped at 30km/h – redesigned streets prioritising pedestrians and cyclists, strong public transport, strict enforcement and sustained public education campaigns.

While ambitious, the example shows what a holistic approach can achieve – helping ensure that everyone makes it home for Christmas and the New Year safely.

RIP Chris Rea.