HELSINKI, 2 August 2025 — In a quiet yet revolutionary achievement, Helsinki has become one of the only European capitals to go a full year without a single traffic-related fatality. This milestone was reached without reliance on artificial intelligence, predictive algorithms, or a suite of flashy tech platforms.
While cities across the European Union continue to struggle with deadly urban roads—with over 20,000 deaths in 2024, according to the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC)—Helsinki stands as a remarkable outlier. With a metropolitan population of over 1.5 million, the Finnish capital accomplished what Berlin, Brussels, and most major hubs could not: complete traffic fatality prevention. The last traffic death in the city occurred in July 2024, marking a 12-month period with zero fatalities.
Scandinavia’s Low-Tech, High-Impact Formula
Roni Utriainen, a traffic engineer for the city’s Urban Environment Division, credits a strategy that is refreshingly low-tech and human-centric. “A lot of factors played a role, but speed limits are one of the most important,” he told Finnish media, as reported by ZME Science. Studies show that the risk of a pedestrian fatality is cut in half when a vehicle’s impact speed is reduced from 40 km/h to 30 km/h. Helsinki responded with a comprehensive policy to impose these lower speed limits across most residential zones and the city center, a key part of its 2021 Helsinki City Strategy. This was backed by the deployment of automated speed cameras and strict enforcement aligned with Finland’s “Vision Zero” policy, a strategy that originated in Sweden with the ethical premise that no one should be killed or seriously injured on the roads.
The city has also been physically reshaping its urban landscape to prioritize vulnerable road users. This includes narrower streets, tree-lined avenues, and expanded sidewalks. It has also significantly invested in a high-quality cycling network, which now spans over 1,200 kilometers of dedicated paths. The city’s public transport system, which has seen substantial investments in modernizing fleets and expanding tram infrastructure, further reduces car use. As a result, the number of traffic injuries in Helsinki has plummeted from around 1,000 per year in the 1980s to just 277 in the past year, according to Finnish public broadcaster YLE.
A Stark Contrast to Broader European Trends
Helsinki’s success is gaining attention in Brussels, where the European Commission is pressing to curb road fatalities. EU Transport Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas, who oversees the Sustainable Transport and Tourism portfolio, has noted that most member countries are currently off track to meet the EU’s ambitious target of halving road deaths and serious injuries by 2030. The EU recorded a collective decrease of only 2% in road deaths in 2024, falling far short of the 6.1% annual reduction needed to hit its target. The official 19th Annual Road Safety Performance Index (PIN) Report, published by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC), highlights this stalled progress, despite a 12% reduction between 2019 and 2024.
This contrast underscores a growing divergence between the success of proactive urban planning and the challenges faced by nations still reliant on car-centric infrastructure. Helsinki’s example offers a tangible counterpoint to the idea that technological solutions alone can solve systemic urban problems. This policy-driven approach to creating healthier, safer urban environments is a key component of Europe’s broader Green Europe agenda.
A Blueprint for the Future of Cities
What truly sets the Scandinavian cities apart isn’t just their performance, but their consistency and unwavering commitment to environmental goals. These are cities where climate action and public health are not reactive, but are integrated into every layer of policy and planning. The city of Reykjavik, for instance, aims to be carbon-neutral by 2040, a target that seems well within reach given its pioneering use of geothermal and hydro-power. This integrated approach demonstrates how sustainability and economic viability are not mutually exclusive, a theme that is central to discussions in the EU Economy section.
For other European cities, the Helsinki experience offers a clear roadmap. The question now is not whether green urban living is possible, but whether governments have the political will to follow a proven blueprint that prioritizes the lives and well-being of its citizens through strategic design and bold policy, rather than relying on technological silver bullets.