The number of fatal crashes caused by drivers under the age of 25 was at its lowest level in the history of traffic accident investigations during January to August this year. In particular, there were fewer accidents and fatalities involving two-wheeled vehicles than compared to the same period last year.
According to data published by the Finnish Crash Data Institute (OTI), there were a total of 155 fatal road accidents in which 167 people have died in Finland during the first eight months of 2020. The figures revealed that 18 cyclists and 15 pedestrians were among those killed in road accidents, two more than during the first eight months of last year.
Drivers under the age of 25 caused only 20 of those fatal motor vehicle accidents. The Crash Data Institute says that this is the lowest figure record for this group of drivers ever.
"For young drivers, the development of road safety this year looks positive in light of the number of the most serious and fatal road accidents. Despite this year's positive development, the risk of accidents for young people is still higher than for other age groups," Salla Salenius, a traffic safety researcher at the Finnish Crash Data Institute, stated in a press release on Thursday.