Curitiba traffic spikes with school reopening and motorcycle fleet more than doubles

The return of school classes in Curitiba has caused a surge in road traffic. With about 130,000 students back in 188 municipal schools and 240 early‑education centers, vehicle numbers are expected to rise roughly 30% during peak morning, lunchtime and afternoon periods.

At the same time, the city’s motorcycle fleet has more than doubled over the past two years, growing from under 152,000 to 336,600 registered bikes. Motorcycles now make up 17.6% of Curitiba’s 1.9 million‑vehicle fleet, while the overall vehicle count rose 21% in the same period. The broader state of Paraná saw its motorcycle registrations increase from 1.24 million to 1.51 million.

The rapid expansion of two‑wheel traffic has coincided with rising accident fatalities. Between 2015 and 2024, 2,558 people died in traffic incidents in Curitiba, with motorcyclists accounting for 920 deaths and representing the majority of fatalities in the last decade. In 2024 alone, 304 traffic deaths were recorded, the highest year for available data.