Application of the Pareto Principle in the Analysis of Causes of Road Accidents in Poland

The article aims to apply the Pareto principle in the analysis of the causes of road accidents in Poland in 2018–2024. Analysis of data from the National Road Safety Council showed a clear decrease in the number of accidents and related fatalities and injuries during the period under review, with particular emphasis on the years of the COVID-19 pandemic, when traffic restrictions contributed to a significant reduction in the number of incidents. Despite the improvement in overall road safety, accidents are still concentrated on certain days of the week, in favorable weather conditions, and in certain types of incidents. The application of Pareto analysis made it possible to identify the most important factors determining accidents: days of the week (Friday, Monday, Wednesday—46.35% of accidents), weather conditions (good conditions—66.31%), type of incident (side collisions and pedestrian collisions—53.61%), and driver causes (failure to give way and inappropriate speed—44.88%). The analysis shows that road safety measures do not have to be applied uniformly. Better results can be achieved when attention is paid to particular days of the week, dominant accident types, and the causes most often linked to driver behaviour. In this context, the Pareto principle proved useful, as it helped to distinguish a limited set of factors that account for a large share of road incidents and therefore deserve priority in prevention strategies. The study adopts a system-based perspective and integrates Pareto analysis to identify key factors influencing road accidents.