For the first time in six years, the number of accidents on federal highways fell in 2025, following a record in 2024. The decline is attributed to improvements in privately conceded roads, according to a study by Fundação Dom Cabral. However, experts emphasize that human factors remain key to road safety.
In 2025, the total number of accidents on federal highways was 56,116, a decrease from the 56,435 recorded in 2024, which was the highest in the historical series starting from 2018. This decline interrupted an upward trend observed over the past six years. Deaths dropped from 4,995 to 4,799, while serious injuries fell from 15,916 to 15,098 in the same period.
The Fundação Dom Cabral study, led by Paulo Resende, director of the Logistics, Infrastructure, and Supply Chain Nucleus, attributes the improvement mainly to concessions of highways to the private sector. “In our analysis, the new numbers reflect the concessions carried out in recent years, which brought infrastructure works capable of increasing road safety,” states Resende. Between 2023 and 2025, at least nine concession auctions took place, including road duplications that reduce risks in maneuvers like overtaking on single-lane sections.
Regional variations were noted: the drop in accidents with serious injuries was 5% nationwide, but reached 21% in São Paulo, 30% in Bahia, and 8% in Minas Gerais. Despite the progress, Resende warns: “The number is still high.” Experts stress that human factors, such as speeding, improper overtaking, phone use while driving, and driving under the influence of alcohol, remain the main causes of serious collisions. Thus, structural improvements must be complemented by responsible driver behavior to sustain the reduction.
