The Situation in Türkiye
When we look at road traffic figures in Turkey individually, they may seem like mere "statistics." However, a closer look reveals that these numbers clearly tell the story of our risk culture, our approach to road safety, and the strength of our emergency response and healthcare systems.
Population, Vehicles, and Drivers: What Kind of Traffic Pressure is Turkey Facing?
Population (2024): 85,665,000
Number of Registered Vehicles: 31,301,389
Number of Licensed Drivers: 36,059,033
Moving from 2023 to 2024:
The number of registered vehicles increased by 8.9%.
The number of licensed drivers increased by 5.07%.
Both the number of vehicles and drivers are rising in parallel with the population. This indicates that the density, complexity, and risk pressure on road traffic are increasing every year. Based on this data, we can estimate that there are approximately:
36 vehicles per 100 people
42 driver's licenses per 100 people
These figures show that Turkey is approaching the league of "highly motorized countries." However, this also warns us that if the road safety culture, enforcement, infrastructure, and emergency medical systems do not evolve at the same pace, it will create significant risks.
Source: TUİK- Includes those who were injured in a traffic accident, referred to a healthcare facility, and died within 30 days due to the cause and effects of the accident.
2024 Traffic Crashes: Number of Events, Fatalities, and Injuries
Total number of traffic crashes: 1,444,027
Resulting in: 6,352 fatalities and 385,117 injuries.
"Injury rates resulting from traffic crashes have shown an increase compared to 2023."
This statement conveys two critical messages:
High Frequency of Crashes: Over 1.4 million incidents demonstrate the density of our roads and the widespread nature of the risks involved.
Rising Injury Rates: The increase in injuries raises serious questions regarding crash severity, speed violations, the use of seatbelts and protective equipment, vehicle safety technologies, and road conditions.
These figures clearly support the thesis that "road safety is not just a matter of driver error, but an issue of the entire system."
Source: TUİK- Includes those who were injured in a traffic accident, referred to a healthcare facility, and died within 30 days due to the cause and effects of the accident.
Summary of the Current Situation
Rapid growth in vehicles and drivers: This increases the pressure on our roads and elevates the probability of errors.
High crash frequency and rising injury rates: This indicates that both behavioral risks (speeding, distraction, mobile phone use, etc.) and systemic deficiencies (enforcement, infrastructure, vehicle fleet structure) persist.
Post-crash fatalities are significant:
The post-crash fatality rate was 53% between 2015–2023 and rose to 57% in 2024 .This underscores the urgent need for a specialized focus on emergency response and healthcare systems.
10-Year Trend: Over the last decade, the data shows that fatalities occurring after the crash (during transport or at the hospital) are consistently higher than those occurring at the scene.
A Holistic Perspective
This data tells us one thing: seeing road safety only as "placing speed signs" or "issuing fines" is insufficient. Pre-crash, during-crash, and post-crash phases are all links in the same chain:
Pre-Crash: Education, culture, enforcement, vehicle safety, and road infrastructure.
During-Crash: Speed at the moment of impact, and whether seatbelts and protective systems (airbags, helmets, etc.) are effectively engaged.
Post-Crash: Response time to the scene, ambulance quality, trauma centers, intensive care capacity, and rehabilitation processes.