The number of vehicles in Georgia has been growing at a geometric pace, and the situation is especially critical in the capital, where mobility has become nearly impossible. Limited maneuvering space, oversaturated roads and exhausted drivers navigating under emotional stress often lead to risky behavior and an increasing number of road accidents.
Georgia now ranks among the leading European countries in road accidents and road-traffic-related fatalities.
Road safety remains one of the most pressing global public health issues. According to the World Health Organization, around 1.2 million people die every year as a result of traffic collisions. Alarmingly, the majority of victims are young people between the ages of 5 and 29.
“The increase in accidents is linked to higher mobility”
Aleksandre Darakhvelidze
Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs of Georgia
“According to nine-month data for the current year, approximately two million vehicles are registered in the country, and more than 1.1 million additional vehicles enter annually from abroad. This dramatically increases mobility, which in turn affects accident rates.
Over the past nine months, more than 6,000 people have been injured and 345 have been killed in road accidents. Compared to the same period last year, the numbers have increased — however, this rise is directly connected to increased mobility.”
Road Traffic Accidents — 2024
According to the National Statistics Office of Georgia, 2,860 traffic accidents were recorded in the first two quarters of 2025, resulting in 216 deaths and 381 injuries.
Particularly concerning is the significant rise in alcohol-related road accidents.
- In 2024, 185 crashes were caused by drunk driving.
- In 2025, 219 such accidents occurred in just six months.
“Legislation must be revised”
Eka Laliashvili
Chair of the “Georgian Alliance for Safe Roads”
“The leading causes of severe injuries are speeding, driving into the oncoming lane, improper maneuvers, and failure to maintain distance. Speeding remains the primary issue.
If we want to address this challenge, we must revise the legislative framework. The current tolerance margin is 15 km/h — far too high. The urban speed limit of 60 km/h is also excessive and must be brought closer to international safety standards.
We also need reforms in child safety seat regulations and secondary restraint systems such as rear-seat belts. Statistically, child seats and back-seat belts reduce the risk of injury by 40–60%.
The experiences of other countries and cities show that if we act, results will follow.”
Tougher Fines: Will They Work?
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has developed a package of legislative amendments aimed at strengthening compliance with road rules and reducing accidents.
According to the Ministry, despite progress, road safety remains a challenge amid increasing vehicle numbers and rising mobility. Every year, hundreds of people are killed or severely injured in Georgia due to road accidents.
Analysis of contributing factors indicates that in order to strengthen public safety, existing sanctions must be significantly tightened.
Under the proposed amendments:
Increased Fines
- Violation of maneuvering rules: Fine increased to 100 GEL, with 20 penalty points deducted.
- Speeding over 15 km/h but not exceeding 40 km/h: Fine increased from 50 to 100 GEL.
- Failure to wear a seat belt (driver or passenger): Fine increased to 50 GEL, with 10 penalty points deducted.
- Use of a mobile phone while driving: Fine increased to 50 GEL.
- Illegal parking/stopping (Kutaisi, Batumi, Mtskheta, Rustavi, Gori, Telavi, Poti, Zugdidi, and major resorts): Fine raised to 50 GEL — matching Tbilisi’s rules.
New Offences
- Driving in the opposite direction on BUS LANE: Fine set at 200 GEL.
- Stopping/parking on sidewalks or pedestrian crossings: Fine set at 100 GEL, with the possibility of towing to a secure impound lot.
“Without knowledge, nothing will change”
Mevlud Meladze
Former Vice-President of the Automobile Federation; Transport Expert
“We will not achieve the results society expects. The impact will be minimal. Fines have already been increased once, cameras installed, infrastructure improved — and yet accident numbers are not decreasing.
Ultimately, it comes down to education. Unless the state reinvests fine revenues into knowledge — beginning in kindergartens and continuing throughout school — nothing will change.
Another critical issue: driving schools have no unified standard. There is no mandatory curriculum, no minimum number of classes, and no consistent teaching methodology. Everyone teaches whatever they personally believe is correct. Passing the exam is prioritized over acquiring real road safety skills.
Education is not a short-term process. If we start today, meaningful results will appear in 7–10 years.”
Public Opinion
Drivers surveyed by “Fortuna” expressed mixed views:
- “If a person doesn’t complete 45 hours at a driving school, they shouldn’t even be allowed to take the exam.”
- “Fines are inflated for no reason — they’re just taking money from us.”
- “You should never drive drunk. You endanger yourself and everyone around you.”
- “Considering previous years’ statistics, penalties should be even stricter.”
Good Countries, Good Results — and the Opposite
Road traffic fatalities vary dramatically across countries and are a subject of extensive scientific research. In some countries, road collisions are among the leading causes of population decline.
Statistics show that high fatality rates are most common in poorer countries, which often suffer from inadequate infrastructure, poor road conditions, and low-quality emergency healthcare.
Economically developed nations — which ensure proper driving conditions and invest heavily in road safety — tend to have significantly lower fatality rates.
Globally, more than one million people die every year due to road accidents.
Europe
Some of the worst figures are found in regions of Portugal, Greece and Romania.
According to Eurostat, 20,653 people — drivers, passengers and pedestrians — died in road accidents in EU countries in 2022.
Regions with the highest death rates per million inhabitants:
- Alentejo, Portugal — 149
- South Aegean, Greece — 131
- Ionian Islands, Greece — 127
- Oltenia, South-West Romania — 123
By contrast, major cities and metropolitan areas have significantly lower fatality rates. Among the safest cities:
- Stockholm — 7 deaths per million people
- Vienna — 9
- Berlin — 9
The long-term trend is more optimistic: from 2012 to 2022, road fatality rates decreased in four out of five EU regions.
The most dramatic declines (>60%) were recorded in:
- Norra Mellansverige (Central-North Sweden)
- Malopolskie Voivodeship, Poland
- Salzburg, Austria
However, fatality rates increased in 37 EU regions, underscoring the need for continued action.
