Serbian road safety concerns

On 26 July 2026 a traffic study that applied Dutch NDW data to Serbian highways reported that the left lane consistently moves faster than the middle or right lanes during congestion. The speed advantage appeared in the majority of two‑, three‑ and four‑lane jams and confirmed similar findings from a 2016 Dutch study. Experts cautioned that a faster lane does not automatically translate into safer driving.

Four days later, a Vignette Switzerland analysis identified Serbia as the deadliest European country for road fatalities, with 74 deaths per million people—about 72 % above the EU average and the highest figure for a second consecutive year. The report placed Bulgaria and Romania in second and third place, highlighted much lower rates in northern nations such as Norway and Sweden, and noted safety improvements in several countries while progress stalled in popular tourist destinations.