Helsinki: zero road deaths

A report on the ZME Science website notes that “Helsinki went a full year without a traffic death”.

They write that:

The Finnish capital has set a new global benchmark by recording an entire year with zero traffic-related deaths (the last one was in July 2024). It’s not accidental progress nor is it an unusual year, it’s the culmination of a decades-long, systematic implementation of a road safety philosophy.

Helsinki, like Oslo and Stockholm, have all but eliminated traffic fatalities. Lower road speeds, automated cameras, and clever city design all helped; but it’s the over-arching vision that made it all possible.

Helsinki’s metropolitan population is around 1.5 million people, comparable to Cincinnati or Nashville. But where these American cities have dozens of fatal accidents per year, Helsinki has zero.

“A lot of factors contributed to this, but speed limits are one of the most important,” said Roni Utriainen, a traffic engineer with the city’s Urban Environment Division.

More than half of Helsinki’s streets have a speed limit of 30 km/h (approximately 20 mph). Half a century ago, the city barely had half of its area with a 50 km/h limit (30 mph). They gradually worked to reduce the speed limit, especially around schools and kindergartens.

Smarter street design also played a key role. Pedestrian and cycling infrastructure was prioritized for upgrades in recent years. More and more people started using public transit or bikes, or just walking. Substantial investments also made public transit more efficient and reliable.

Thanks to Bryan Alexander for pointing the report out to me.