Analysis by the Brussels Times reveals the most dangerous communes in Brussels for road traffic accidents. On average Ixelles had 2.5 road traffic accidents per kilometer of road between 2017 and 2022, the highest for all of Brussels' communes.
The figures, based on Statbel data, show that Watermael-Boitsfort was the safest commune in Brussels over the same period, with 0.3 road traffic accidents per kilometer.
In response to the findings, a spokesperson for Mayor Romain De Reusme (PS - Vooruit) and local police in Ixelles questioned the value of comparing to other communes and suggested looking at absolute figures not calculations per road kilometer.
They go on to say that "Ixelles has a particularly dense road network, and the number of road users is, in relation to the number of inhabitants and the surface area, extremely high. This means heavy traffic and a heightened risk of accidents."
"We fully embrace the vision of zero road deaths. Our zone is actively investing in traffic control to achieve this goal, with targeted actions around driving under the influence, speeding, etc., as well as monthly themed controls."
In total, the raw figures show the City of Brussels commune had the most road traffic accidents at 6,626 over the five years (2017 to 2022), followed by Anderlecht with 2,161.
Meanwhile, the worst commune in Belgium was Antwerp, with 13,060 road traffic accidents over that time, followed by the City of Brussels and then Ghent with 6,518.
However, despite the high overall number, Antwerp had 0.9 road traffic accidents when looked at per road kilometer and Ghent 0.6.
In Brussels Region as a whole 1.2 road traffic accidents happened per kilometer on average between 2017 and 2022, this compares to a Belgium-wide average of 0.2.
Fewer accidents on Belgium's roads in 2024
Overall, roads are getting safer in Belgium. In 2024, all indicators for road safety in Belgium improved compared to 2023, according to additional figures released by Statbel this week.
Last year fewer people suffered injuries or died on Belgium's roads. There were also fewer accidents, with the number of accidents compared to 2023 down by 2.6%. The decline is repeated across the board in all provinces except in Luxembourg, East Flanders, and Liège.
The "positive picture is a combination of better infrastructure, better in-car systems, and improved speed enforcement" according to Stef Willems from the road safety institute Vias.
He notes that incremental improvements to tackle dangerous junctions, make cycling safer, and speeds being limited have led to a positive result. This is despite "new and unexpected challenges coming up each year, including cars becoming heavier and bigger" and as a result more dangerous.
These actions were echoed by the Ixelles Mobility & Parking Alderman Valérie Libert (MR-VLD) who said that the municipality was increasing speed controls as well as "identifying accident-prone zones on our roads and adapting infrastructure where needed." This action included a "full review of all of our schools’ surroundings to enhance visibility, reduce speed, and protect our youngest residents better."
Last year 171 drivers died on Belgium's roads, with 89 cyclists and 70 pedestrians also losing their lives.
According to Willem, "the future focus for enforcement should be on drink and drug-driving to continue to improve road safety figures" something the current Federal Government has committed to doing by introducing Swedish-style randomised roadside testing. They also have plans to change the judicial process so that repeat road rule-breakers automatically appear before courts.
The current Federal Government has also set a target of halving the number of road deaths by 2030, with a further aim of zero road deaths by 2050.
