A deadly year on the roads: In 2024, 434 fatalities were recorded in traffic accidents that occurred on Israel's roads – according to data from the National Road Safety Authority. This figure reflects a 20% increase compared to 2023, when 361 fatalities were recorded.
This is the highest number of fatalities recorded in 17 years. The same number of fatalities was recorded in 2008, while in 2007, 435 fatalities were recorded in the annual summary. This includes one particularly fatal accident that claimed the lives of 6 individuals on route 6.
A record number of fatalities in the Arab community
The Arab society recorded the highest increase in the number of fatalities in 2024, with 159 road deaths. This marks a 62% rise compared to 2023, which saw only 90 fatalities. The Road Safety Authority notes that 2024 is the deadliest year the Arab society has experienced to date, as the previous peak in the number of fatalities in the Arab society was in 2010, when 140 fatalities were recorded.
A particularly vulnerable group of road users in the Arab society is children aged 0 to 14, among whom 31 fatalities were recorded, 17 of them pedestrians, most in yard accidents and accidents close to home. This is out of 41 fatalities in the 0 to 14 age group across the entire State of Israel. According to the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) data, drivers in the Arab society are involved in about 50% of all accidents, and their share in the number of fatalities stands at about 37% of all fatalities – a figure nearly double their proportion in the population of drivers in Israel.
Surge in the number of motorcyclist fatalities
Another negative record set this year is a 26% increase in the number of two-wheeler riders killed, rising to 97 fatalities this year compared to 77 in 2023. According to the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) data, about half of the injured and killed on heavy motorcycles are unlicensed riders, while a third of the injured and tens of percent of the fatalities on motorcycles and scooters are unlicensed riders who endanger themselves and those around them. According to NRSA data, 0.5% of all young riders under the age of 24 are killed or seriously injured.
Increase in the number of young drivers killed
Another concerning statistic emerging from the 2024 data is the surge in the number of young drivers killed. In 2024, 65 young drivers under the age of 24 were killed, reflecting a 55% increase in the number of young drivers killed compared to previous years. Out of all the young drivers killed, 31 were from the Arab community, and 13 of the young drivers killed in the Arab community were motorcyclists. Out of all the young fatalities, 36 were two-wheeled vehicle riders.
When divided into urban and intercity roads – in 2024, the number of fatalities in urban areas remained stable, with 155 fatalities compared to 157 in 2023. In the intercity domain, there was a notable increase of 35% in the number of fatalities, rising to 268 fatalities on intercity roads compared to 198 in 2023.
A slight decrease in the number of injured in 2024
On the other hand, in 2024, 2,438 road users were seriously injured – a figure that represents an 8% decrease compared to 2023. The number of lightly injured decreased by 18% to 10,559 lightly injured compared to 12,863 lightly injured in road accidents in 2023.
The CEO of the Road Safety Authority, Gilad Cohen, said, "We are concluding a very difficult year with a sharp increase in the number of fatalities from accidents in the State of Israel. The priorities of the state and government ministries must change. In order to see a halt in the number of fatalities, the police must increase enforcement on the roads, enforcement that has sharply decreased during 2024 and has led to a lack of deterrence. We are working to expand the powers and increase the budget of the Road Safety Authority to enable us to take more responsibility and focus on preventing accidents, enhancing road safety, and reducing the number of fatalities on the roads."
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