Economic growth, motorization level, traffic safety: are they related (experience of EU countries)

Abstract

The purpose of the research paper is to observe and analyze how economic growth of EU countries is accompanied by growth of motorization rate and fatalities during the last decades in terms of inventory number of motor vehicles and accidents in road traffic. Research methodology was statistical analysis from year 2000 to year 2019 of economic growth, motorization rate in the EU countries and the accidents. In the research paper the quantitative analysis and comparison method are applied. Research paper shows that in the EU countries of higher income levels, the rate of increase in motor vehicles is lower than the decline in fatalities per motor vehicle, and in countries of low-income levels the rate of increase in motor vehicles is higher than the decline in fatalities per motor vehicle. Research paper demonstrates that countries with different levels of economic development have different motorization level and there are differences on decline in fatalities per motor vehicle levels. This is the first paper that analyses in different EU countries motorization rate and fatalities during lastdecades.