ECONOMIC AND INFRASTRUCTURE DETERMINANTS OF ROAD TRAFFIC FATALITIES: PANEL EVIDENCE FROM THE VISEGRAD COUNTRIES

In this study are analysed the determinants of road traffic fatalities in the Visegrad Group countries during 2000-2024, using a balanced panel and fixed-effects models with Driscoll-Kraay standard errors. The results show that the higher motorization and a longer high-standard road network are associated with lower fatalities. By contrast, the GDP per capita and unemployment increase fatalities in the baseline model, although these effects are sensitive to alternative specifications. Public expenditure on road infrastructure has no robust immediate effect, with only limited evidence of delayed benefits. Overall, the findings suggest that the road safety depends not only on economic growth, but on the quality and structure of infrastructure development, as well.