A total of 675 people died in traffic accidents in the Netherlands last year, virtually the same as in 2023 but 70 down on 2022, according to new figures from the national statistics agency CBS.

Compared with the year 2000, traffic-related deaths have fallen by 42%, the CBS said. The statistics are based on police figures.

Most of the victims — 246 — were cyclists, while fewer car drivers or passengers were killed. Four in 10 cyclists died in a collision with a car, and most of the others were killed in a fall or another type of accident that did not involve other vehicles.

The CBS also said that 59 pedestrians and 57 people using mobility scooters died in traffic incidents.

Some 44% of the cyclists who were killed were riding an electric bicycle, and in 60% of cases a head injury was the main cause of death.

On Wednesday, the government launched a new campaign urging people to wear helmets when cycling, due to the risk of serious head injuries.

People over the age of 70 accounted for 40% of all road-related deaths.