Although in Romania the Law on Defensive Driving exists since 2022, it is not applied in practice, as driving schools do not have the necessary legal framework to train drivers in preventive techniques and behaviors through which the driver anticipates traffic hazards and acts to avoid accidents, even when other road users make mistakes.
The Foundation For The Defense Of Citizens Against State Abuses will take the Ministry of Transport to court if it continues to refuse to issue the rules for the training and examination of road safety instructors, a normative act without which defensive driving courses cannot be legally authorized and recognized.
These defensive driving courses have the essential role of preparing drivers to know how to react correctly in dangerous situations or in the imminent event of an accident, by practicing concrete techniques of prevention and vehicle control. Their introduction would contribute directly to reducing the number of serious road accidents and the loss of human lives. Moreover, young people aged between 18 and 26 would benefit from these courses free of charge.
Romania has been facing a high level of road accidents for several years, and official data show that the situation remains serious, without significant progress. In 2022, Romania was already among the most dangerous countries in the European Union in terms of road safety, with 86 deaths per million inhabitants. The situation did not improve in the following years either. In 2023 there were 4,526 serious road accidents, resulting in 1,545 deaths. The final report for the year 2024, published by the Romanian Police, confirms the seriousness of the phenomenon, with 4,235 serious accidents, in which 1,478 people lost their lives and 3,247 were seriously injured.
Although there is a slow decrease in road fatalities at European level, in 2025 Romania remains among the EU countries with the highest rates of road traffic fatalities, as a percentage of the population. According to Romanian Police data, between January-September 2025, 2,939 road accidents were recorded, resulting in 940 deaths and 2,352 people seriously injured. The analysis based on this data shows that, on average, about three people lose their lives every day and more than 95 are injured in road accidents on Romanian roads.
The legal deadline within which the Ministry of Transport must comply with FACIAS's request is 30 days, and in the absence of concrete measures FACIAS will ask the court to order the ministry to comply with the legal framework in force and to apply the necessary measures to protect road safety.