Brazil sees sharp drop in road deaths during first half of 2026

The Rota das Bandeiras concession in the interior of São Paulo reported 15 fatalities between January and June 2026, a reduction of almost 50% compared with the same period in 2025. The concession’s safety measures – including faster emergency response, upgraded guardrails, and duplicated road sections – are credited with the improvement. Since the start of the concession, the operator has invested R$ 4.4 billion in infrastructure and safety projects.

Data from the Federal Highway Police (PRF) in the north‑west region of Brazil showed a 20% decline in deaths on federal highways, with 385 incidents, 397 injured and 28 dead in the semester. In the state of Paraná, the PRF recorded 3,918 traffic incidents, 4,280 injured and 285 deaths, a 5.6% reduction in fatalities compared with the same period in 2025. Front‑impact collisions accounted for the majority of deaths, followed by pedestrian run‑overs and rear‑end crashes. The reports emphasize driver behavior, such as unsafe overtaking and speeding, as the primary cause of the most severe accidents.