The European Commission published the collision matrix for fatalities on rural roads in the EU. The available EU-wide data for 2023 contained in the CARE database, demonstrate that 52% of road traffic fatalities occurred in rural areas, with vulnerable road users (pedestrians, cyclists, e-scooters and users of powered two-wheelers) representing almost 36% of total fatalities. This collision matrix shows clearly that rural road user fatalities occur overwhelmingly when a crash involves cars and heavy vehicles (lorries and heavy goods vehicles). Furthermore, the high number (41% of total fatalities) of fatalities in single vehicle crashes involving cars and motorcycles demonstrate the critical role of speeding on rural roads.