Traffic safety
Espoo has established itself as one of the top cities in Finland in terms of traffic safety.
Very few traffic accidents happen in Espoo, considering the size of the city’s population – approximately 60% fewer than in the whole country on average.
The city has carried out measures to improve traffic safety for many decades. The safety of pedestrians, cyclists and motorists is taken into consideration in detailed planning and in street planning and construction. Safety is further improved by a staggered speed limit system of the street network and other forms of traffic control, such as traffic signs, traffic lights and road markings.
By monitoring and analysing accidents and compiling statistics on them, the city gets information on the areas most in need of safety-improving measures. Feedback from residents is also a valuable part of traffic safety work.
Rehearsing traffic rules might be good idea. Unclarities concern especially the Right-of-Way Rules between cyclists and motorists.
The ‘Espoon liikenneonnettomuudet 2022’ report provides an overview of road traffic accidents reported by the police in Espoo in 2022. The report also describes the development in the number of accidents since 1962 and in particular between 2018 and 2022.
According to police statistics, a total of 266 traffic accidents took place in Espoo in 2022. The number increased slightly from the year before (241). Approximately 43% of the accidents resulted in personal injury (80). Of all the accidents that led to personal injury, one resulted in a fatality and 79 resulted in physical injury. One person died and 91 people were injured in the accidents that led to personal injury. Both the number of people who died and the number of people who were injured in accidents decreased from 2021 (3 dead, 100 injured).
Out of all the accidents in 2022, 58% (155) took place on municipally maintained roads and 39% (105) on nationally owned roads. Two per cent (6) of all accidents took place on private roads and in other areas. Sixty per cent (159) of accidents took place in built-up areas.