A total of 21 people lost their lives on Malta's roads in 2025, but the year was further overshadowed by two particularly tragic accidents beyond the island's shores, claiming six Maltese lives in separate road accidents in Sicily and Croatia.

The 2025 death toll represents an increase on the previous two years, reversing a downward trend recorded after 2022.

In 2024, road fatalities had fallen to 13, following 14 deaths in 2023, after peaking at 26 fatalities in 2022, the deadliest year recorded on Malta's roads.

Two tragedies claiming six Maltese lives occurred overseas. An elderly Maltese couple were killed in a road accident in Sicily and a separate accident in Croatia claimed the lives of two Maltese couples travelling together.

Three road fatalities also occurred on the same day in 2025 - 27 July.

Here is a timeline tribute for all those who lost their lives on Malta's roads in 2025:

6 January - Man dies in Attard crash

The first fatality of the year occurred on a Monday at 9.20pm in Mdina Road, Attard, where a 25-year-old man from Mtarfa lost control of the Mercedes he was driving, crashed into a tree, and ended up beyond the barriers on the side of the road, against a steel structure.

The man was certified dead on site, and was identified as Alejandro Brincat, a football player for Vittoriosa Stars.

11 January - Woman hit by car in Fgura dies in hospital

A 24-year-old woman was hit by a car in Hompesch Road at 8pm in Fgura on Monday, 6 January, and later died in hospital on Saturday, 11 January.

The Nepalese woman was hit by a Toyota Hilux driven by a 20-year-old woman from Birzebbuga. Another woman from Nepal, aged 34, was also grievously hurt in the accident. The victim was later named as Gauri Kumari Baral, marking the second fatality of the year.

23 January - Biker dies in crash beneath Tal-Qroqq skate park

A 36-year-old Italian man died after he lost control of the bike he was riding and crashed at 8.15pm.

The man, who resided in Birkirkara, was riding a Honda on the Regional Road, limits of Msida, beneath Tal-Qroqq skate park.

10 February - Man dies in crash close to Kirkop tunnels

A 24-year-old man from Mtarfa died, and another was injured, in a crash close to Kirkop tunnels at around 9pm in Triq l-Ewwel Titjira. The vehicle hit a central strip barrier and crashed against a concrete structure on the other side of the road.

The driver, who was later named as Christ Gatt, died on the scene, while the 24-year-old passenger from Mtarfa was taken to hospital with grievous injuries.

10 April - Woman dies in freak car accident in St Julian's

A 38-year-old woman died just off Birkirkara Road on Triq L-Arċisqof Romero in St Julian's, after her car rolled back onto her, and she ended up caught beneath the vehicle.

Medical teams went on the scene, but she was soon after pronounced dead. The woman was later named as Chantalle Gauci.

27 May - Motorcyclist dies in St Paul's Bay by-pass accident

A 35-year-old man died after he lost control of the bike he was riding and crashed on the St Paul's Bay by-pass at 12.30pm.

The motorcyclist, later identified as Shaun Coppola, died upon impact after losing control of his Suzuki motorcycle and crashed into the barriers on the side of the road, as he was travelling towards Xemxija.

7 June - Man dies after being caught between two vehicles

A 67-year-old man of Zebbug died after being caught between two vehicles at 7.30am in the Hal Far industrial estate.

Preliminary investigations resulted that a MAN truck, which was being used by the victim, later named as Paul Xuereb, moved forward on its own, trapping the man between it and another truck that was parked.

A medical team certified the man dead on site.

7 June - Biker dies in Senglea crash

A 43-year-old biker died in a crash in Triq Juan B. Azopardo in Senglea.

The man, named as Charlo Calleja, lost control of the Honda bike he was riding and crashed into a bollard that separates the road from the pavement at 5pm, where he was certified dead on site.

12 June - Cyclist dies in Marsaskala accident

A 67-year-old cyclist from Zejtun died in a traffic accident involving a van and a car in Villabate Street, Marsaskala.

Police were informed of an accident which occurred at 10am, involving a Peugeot Partner van, driven by a 38-year-old man from the Ivory Coast and resident in Marsa, and a Nissan March driven by a 43-year-old Italian man.

The cyclist was certified dead on site, while a woman, also Italian and aged 38, who was riding as a passenger in the car, was taken to hospital.

18 June - Man dies in Zebbug crash

A 32-year-old man from Luqa died in Mdina Road, Zebbug after the Honda Civic he was driving was involved in a collision with a Renault Captur being driven by a 57-year-old man of Dingli.

The police said that medical assistance was provided on site and the three injured persons were taken to hospital.

The 32-year-old man, who was later identified as Karl Farrugia, died soon afterwards.

21 June - Woman hit by car dies in hospital

A 57-year-old German woman died in hospital two days after she was hit by a car at Pinto Wharf, Floriana, on 19 June at 1.15pm.

The woman was hit by a Toyota Ractis driven by a 52-year-old man who resides in Żabbar. A medical team was called to the scene, and an ambulance took the woman to Mater Dei Hospital. She was initially certified to be suffering from serious injuries, but died in hospital two days later.

23 July - 79-year-old passenger dies in Lija traffic accident

A 79-year-old woman from Mosta died in a two-vehicle collision between a van and a car in Triq il-Mosta, Lija, at 10.30am.

The woman was a passenger in a Suzuki Swift car driven by an 81-year-old man also residing in Mosta, which was involved in a collision with a Renault Trafic van driven by a 24-year-old man from Mtarfa.

Members of the Civil Protection Department, a medical team, and ambulances were called to the scene, and all persons involved were taken to Mater Dei Hospital.

The elderly woman was certified dead a short while later, while the elderly man was in a serious condition.

26 July - Biker dies in St Andrew's accident

A 27-year-old biker, a Bulgarian national living in Paola, died in St Andrew's Road, Swieqi, after the Honda bike he was riding was involved in a crash with a BMW Series 1 driven by a 22-year-old man from St Paul's Bay.

The biker was taken to hospital for treatment where he died some time later, the police had said. He was later named as Tenyo Kosev, who worked as a TV operations specialist at GO.

27 July - Woman dies in Fgura traffic accident involving Robert Abela's parents

A 71-year-old woman from Zabbar died following a traffic accident involving President Emeritus George Abela and his wife, Margaret, parents of Prime Minister Robert Abela.

The accident occurred on Triq Hompesch Fgura at around 3.30pm, involving a head-on collision between a Toyota Corolla driven by a 23-year-old woman and an Audi Q3, driven by a 77-year-old man from Marsaskala, George Abela.

The 71-year-old woman, who was a passenger in the Toyota Corolla, was certified dead a short while later, while the 23-year-old woman was in serious condition.

The 77-year-old man and the 76-year-old woman - the Prime Minister's parents - were certified as having sustained grievous injuries. PM Abela confirmed they were in stable condition.

27 July - Biker dies in Pieta traffic accident

A 58-year-old man from Zejtun died after he lost control of the Honda motorbike he was riding, hit the pavement and crashed, in Marina Road, Pieta.

The biker was taken to Mater Dei Hospital where he died some time later.

27 July - Woman dies after being caught between two vehicles in Valletta

A 62-year-old woman from Hamrun died after being caught between two vehicles in Xatt il-Barriera Street, Valletta at 10pm.

The accident involved a collision between a Subaru Impreza driven by a 23-year-old man of Paola and a Ford Fiesta, which was parked on the side of the road. The victim was certified dead on site.

She was later identified as Mildred Azzopardi, mother of four. Her 69-year-old husband, Alfred Azzopardi, who was in the Ford, also suffered serious injuries.

The driver of the Subaru, later named as soldier Benjamin Chetcuti was unhurt.

Chetcuti was charged with the involuntary homicide of Azzopardi, as well as involuntarily injuring Azzopardi's husband, drink-driving, reckless driving, speeding, driving without insurance, as well as committing an offence which he was duty-bound to prevent. The case is ongoing.

29 July - Man dies after being squashed against wall by moving empty bus at Floriana

A 63-year-old bus driver from Naxxar died after being squashed against a wall by a bus at the Floriana's Park and Ride at 1.45pm.

The man, later identified as Karmenu Muscat, was trapped between the side of the bus, a Mercedes Citaro, which for some reason moved on its own while it was parked, and the wall.

The man was taken to hospital where he was certified dead. Officials of the Occupational Health and Safety Authority are assisting the police in their investigations.

10 August - Motorcyclist dies after hit-and-run in Birkirkara

A 42-year-old man from Nepal was killed in a hit-and-run incident in Triq Salvu Psaila in Birkirkara at around 5.20am.

Preliminary investigations found that the crash involved a Maserati Levante, and a Kymco motorcycle that was being ridden by the 42-year-old man from Nepal.

After the crash, the Maserati also hit three parked cars, where the driver and two passengers then emerged from the car and escaped the scene of the accident.

A medical team arrived on site but the motorcyclist was certified dead on the scene. The victim was later identified as Khim Bahadur Pun, a father of three, who moved to Malta three years ago.

One of the passengers of the car, an 18-year-old woman from Mosta, was found some minutes later in the surrounding area and was arrested and taken to Mater Dei Hospital for care due to grievous injuries she had sustained.

Investigations in connection to the crash led to the arrest of the alleged driver of the car, a 17-year-old boy, and the other passenger, aged 18, both residents of Qormi, a few hours after the incident.

The boy has since been charged in court with the involuntary homicide of Pun.

16 August - Italian biker injured in St Andrew's dies in hospital

A 21-year-old Italian man died in hospital on 16 August after a crash in St Andrew's Road, Pembroke on 14 August at around 5.30am.

The biker lost control of the Kymco Agility motorbike he was riding and crashed in a concrete barricade. He was taken to hospital with serious injuries, where he died two days later.

3 September - Maltese couple die after head-on collision in Sicily

Seventy-three-year-old Manuel Buhagiar, and his 69-year-old wife Doris Buhagiar, both from Zebbug, died after being involved in a head-on collision with a truck in Sicily.

The accident involved a Toyota Yaris which had a Maltese registration number plate and a truck at 3pm on the Catania-Ragusa motorway close to the town of Lentini.

Radio Una Voce Vicini said that the Maltese people were extracted from the car wreckage but were both pronounced dead on site. Buhagiar had served as a police officer.

2 October - Four Maltese dead in car accident in Croatia

Four Maltese people died in a car accident in Croatia, after their rental car swerved off a coastal road and plunged down a ravine and into the sea.

The accident happened on the D8 state road near Bunica, just south of the town of Senj on the country's Adriatic coast, where the couple travelled together.

For reasons yet unknown, the vehicle veered to the right, struck two stone barriers, plunged around 70 metres down a ravine and ended up in the sea.

Their bodies were recovered from the water by members of the Croatian Mountain Rescue Service from Gospić and transported to the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Rijeka for autopsy and identification.

The victims were 68-year-old Jeremy Gambin and his 67-year-old wife Lorraine, both residents of Swieqi, and their close friends 67-year-old Kevin Bonnici and his 66-year-old wife Alexandra.

15 December - Biker dies in Mosta road accident

A 57-year-old man from Mosta, Robert Debono, died after the KTM motorbike he was riding was involved in a collision with a Ford Transit driven by a 65-year-old man from Dingli.

The accident happened in Vjal il-Qalbiena Mostin at 7am. The biker was taken to hospital where he died some time later, while two minor children, who were in the Ford Transit, were not hurt, and the driver was treated for shock.

24 December - Biker dies in St Julian's accident

On Christmas Eve, a woman died after the bike she was riding was involved in a collision with a car. The woman, a Colombian aged 31, was riding a TVS Jupiter which was involved in a crash with a Kia Picanto driven by a 21-year-old man from Marsaskala.

She was later identified as Angie Marlen Mesa Gonzalez, who was employed at a pizzeria. The accident took place at 3am in Mikiel Anton Vassalli Road.