Road traffic accidents

The purpose of the statistics is to collect and publish information on road traffic accidents in order to create a basis of knowledge for making decisions that can reduce the number of road traffic accidents and the consequences thereof. The statistics on road traffic accidents originate from 1 January 1930. The source of the statistics has until 1 January 2003 been the temporary and final reports from the police. From this date Statistics Denmark only receives an annual extract from the Road Directory with the police's final reports. Apart from this, the most fundamental alterations that have been introduced concern the classification of accidents, the scope of the statistics and the actual reporting procedures.

Until 1938, the classification of accidents was not unambiguous. From 1938 to 1966, accidents were categorized according to the main cause of the accident, which was determined by a legal judgement. From 1967 onwards, this judgement has been replaced by a classification of the accident, which is not based on the concept of blame, but on the actual description of the circumstances surrounding the accident.

From 1930 to 1958, the statistics included accidents resulting in personal injury as well as damage to property. Since 1958, accidents involving only damage to property are no longer covered by the statistics, and from 1967 accidents involving only pedestrians are no longer covered either, whether the accident resulted in a casualty or not.

Up until and including 1975, the police reports were sent straight to Statistics Denmark. In 1976, the reporting system was expanded, so that the highway authorities in counties and municipalities take part in the reporting by locating the accidents. As from November 1997 and up to and including April 2000, a new system of computerized reporting was gradually introduced in the police.

Since 1 January 2003 the police reports have been sent to the Road Directorate from whom Statistics Denmark receives an annual extract.