EUROPE'S HAZARDOUS
HIGHWAYS

THE HIGHER THE HAZARD SCORE,
THE MORE DANGEROUS THE ROADS ARE DEEMED TO BE.

After analysing the accident data and the number of fatalities across Europe, SNAP has established a hazard rating for each area within the research. The score is calculated based on the average yearly fatality rate per 10,000 miles of road - looking at data from the previous 10 years.

“We created the hazard rating to warn drivers of the most treacherous roads in Europe. But the harsh reality is that there are no safe zones.

"All roads across the continent carry inherent risks, and drivers need to be continually resilient to changing driving conditions and in-country laws and regulations. We recommend that drivers familiarise themselves with road laws and their planned route before setting off.

“Most HGV drivers, especially those navigating central and eastern Europe, will be used to driving for exceptionally long distances and on less familiar roads.

"But they may be unaware of the best places to park and take a well-earned break from driving. This is why SNAP developed the intruck app, which features over 5,000+ truck stops - designed to navigate drivers to dedicated places for rest so they can focus on the road ahead.”

"It is vital to improve road infrastructure and facilities to ensure safety for the road haulage network across Europe. With over six million trucks operating in the EU, we need to minimise the dangers to haulage professionals when they're behind the wheel."

UNITED KINGDOM

• When looking at data from the United Kingdom, SNAP found the following statistics - demonstrating the importance of creating more reputable truck parking locations and enhancing driver welfare.
• HGV collisions of all types in the UK have decreased between 2012 and 2021 – down 47.2%. The number of fatality incidents is also down, but not by as much - 26% - suggesting that improved road developments and vehicle technology reduce the number of accidents on UK roads.
• Across UK regions, the reported HGV road casualties in 2021 are below the yearly average between 2012-2020.
• For all vehicles, more densely populated regions have the highest average number of collisions, with London having far higher averages than anywhere else.
• Local authorities within the South East (4 locations) and Eastern (3 locations) regions dominated the list for the top 10 areas in the UK with the most yearly average reported road collisions.

"The South East and Eastern regions of the UK see considerable amounts of HGV traffic transiting to and from London and Dover. The increased number of vehicles on the road inevitably leads to a higher risk of accidents, and this becomes apparent in the data.”

UK REGIONS

• Since 2012, truck drivers have been involved in over 44,000 accidents involving an HGV within the UK.
• The South East is home to the UK's most dangerous roads for truckers - with 198 HGV collisions occurring in the region per year on average.
• Kent has the most collisions in the UK (51.2 average per year) and is currently proposing a target of zero road fatalities on the Kent Highway Network by 2050.

"It is great to see that collisions have decreased by nearly 50% in the last 10 years (-47.2%). But it is important to maintain driver welfare and ensure they have the necessary facilities to do their job effectively, so we can reduce these numbers further."

"Truck drivers play a hugely significant role across Europe, and we need to ensure that they are safe and have everything they need to do their jobs efficiently."

"We are supporting the driver industry by growing a network of truck parking locations across Europe that drivers can use to rest and recharge before the next leg of their journey."