In the first ten months of 2026, road accidents in Macedonia claimed 84 lives, compared with 117 in the same period last year. Interior Minister Pançe Toshkovski announced the figures, noting that the death toll was 33 lower.
Toshkovski presented the figures today during the launch of the National Road Traffic Safety Strategy 2026–2030, where he also delivered a speech. He called on both institutions and society as a whole to put the preservation of human life above every other priority.
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According to the minister, the decline in deaths represents a significant improvement. To illustrate the change, he cited 2001 and 2021, when more people lost their lives despite a drastic reduction in traffic.
Looking at the longer-term record, Toshkovski noted that an average of around 150 people a year have died on Macedonia’s roads over the past 35 years. He said this showed that safety outcomes, particularly in road traffic, could not be considered truly good. He therefore stressed the need for sustained work and a systematic approach to road safety.
The minister offered special thanks to citizens, whom he credited with making the greatest contribution to the reduction in deaths in Macedonia. He said their decision to drive motor vehicles more conscientiously and act more responsibly as road users had helped bring about the result.
Alongside more careful behavior by citizens, Toshkovski cited the work of institutions, prevention campaigns, and support from socially responsible companies and civil society organizations. Together, he said, these efforts have helped reduce road accidents, injuries and deaths.
Regarding the new National Strategy, the minister made clear that the goal is to halve the number of people killed in road accidents by 2030. The targeted 50 percent reduction will be measured against 2024.
The strategy is founded on the principle that every human life matters. It calls for cooperation between institutions and society, combining preventive measures, education, a stronger culture of road safety and the use of modern technologies.
Toshkovski also stressed that drivers can always make mistakes, but the state has a duty to make every effort to reduce deaths and injuries. He called for state action to be as preventive as possible in order to improve road traffic.
