Czech drivers and roads among the best in the world, says new index

Czech drivers are steering their way into the global spotlight for safety. A new ranking by car insurance comparison site Compare the Market places Czechia ninth out of 56 countries worldwide for road safety, recognizing its steady rise in driving skill and modern infrastructure.

The recognition comes as Czech car sales hit a sizable 230,356 units last year, a 4.7 percent jump from 2023, putting more vehicles than ever on the country’s roads. With traffic volumes climbing, the spotlight on safety has never been brighter.

The study evaluated nations on key safety factors: road deaths per 100,000 inhabitants, legal blood alcohol limits, average speed limits, road quality, and overall traffic efficiency. Combining these elements produced a composite safety score out of 100, ranking the world’s best, and riskiest, places to drive.

Czechia scored an impressive 74.8/100 overall. A relatively rare, strict zero-tolerance approach to drink driving fuels this. The blood alcohol limit is 0.0 percent for all drivers. This means any detectable amount of alcohol in your blood or breath is illegal while driving.

Roads themselves also earned high marks, with a quality score of 4.3 out of 7. Average speed limits across highways, urban streets, and rural roads clock in at 95 kilometers per hour.

Impressively, the country’s traffic index, which evaluates congestion and ease of navigation, lands at 88.1: a sign of smooth-flowing journeys. Notably, this category scores higher than overall global leader, the Netherlands, as well as other countries that rank higher than Czechia in the index (Finland and Austria).

Unfortunately, an above-average road death rate of 4.5 per 100,000 people is a roadblock in the rankings. That said, separate data from the Czech Police found that 2024 recorded the lowest death toll on Czech roads since 1961.

Average speed limits across highways, urban, and rural roads were measured at 95 kilometers per hour: much higher than average compared to other countries in the global top 10. This also put a brake on Czechia's potential ascent in the rankings.

Aside from the world number-one-ranked Netherlands with 84.9 points, Estonia (81.9) and Japan (81.3) closely followed. Albania, at fifth spot, may be a surprising finding: though strong scores in the traffic index category help the country.

Meanwhile, some nations remain perilous for drivers. Thailand sits at rock bottom with a road death rate of 30.7 per 100,000 people due to a deadly mix of congestion and unsafe conditions. 

Vietnam and Saudi Arabia also rank among the most dangerous, while the United Arab Emirates—despite near-perfect road infrastructure and a zero-tolerance drink-driving policy—was held down by very high speed limits.