Traffic deaths

A traffic death is the traffic-related death of a road user as a result of a sudden event occurring on a public road on Dutch soil, involving at least one moving vehicle. The victim dies within 30 days after the accident took place.

A deceased person is not included in the category of traffic deaths if:
• the accident occurs at a location closed to public and other traffic;
• the accident occurs on a part of a train or tramway track, which is not part of the public road and can only be used by trains or trams;
• the victim dies after 30 or more days after the accident took place;
• the deceased has already been classified as a ‘murder’ or ‘suicide’ victim.

Of the 661 traffic deaths in 2019, 46 persons were not registered in the Key Register of Persons (BRP). These were mainly non-residents who participated in traffic for work or holidays in the Netherlands.

The calculation of the number of people killed annually in traffic accidents in the Netherlands is based on three different sources: medical certificates of cause of death which have been completed by an examining physician (forensic doctor); dossiers at district public prosecutor’s offices and police accident reports.

The results of this integrative approach of traffic fatalities has been available since calendar year 1996. Series referring to earlier years can be obtained from Rijkswaterstaat, which is part of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. These time series are solely based on police accident reports.