Latvia: External causes claim 1,400 lives annually

Data presented at a meeting of the Demographic Affairs Council reveals that external causes of death claim approximately 1,400 lives annually in Latvia. This includes roughly 900 individuals of working age. These external factors account for 24% of all potentially lost years of life up to the age of 64.

Common causes of death include transport accidents, falls, drowning, poisoning, violence, freezing, fires, and suicide. Last year, Latvia recorded 240 suicides and 234 fatal falls. Additionally, there were 171 cases of alcohol and drug poisoning, and 121 deaths in transport accidents. In 2025, 92 people drowned, 72 froze, and 34 were killed.

Of the cases recorded last year, 629 were linked to alcohol consumption, while 102 involved psychoactive substances. Experts emphasize the need for long-term approaches combining prevention, public information, and cooperation between the health, education, transport safety, interior, and social sectors to mitigate these deaths.