Number Of Road Deaths As Low As 60 Years Ago

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-11-27 05:39

The number of road deaths last year reached its lowest level in 60 years. Criticism from associations earned the highest number of traffic accidents since reunification.

The number of road deaths has fallen to the lowest level in more than 60 years. In 2016, 3214 people died in accidents in German road traffic, as the Federal Statistical Office reported on Friday. That was 245 fatalities less than in 2015 - a decrease of 7.1 percent. From 2014 to 2015, however, the number of road fatalities increased.

“I'm relieved that at least the number of road deaths has dropped again. But it is not a reason to be happy, because more cyclists were killed, among other things. As unprotected road users, you are particularly at risk. Motorists also need to pay more attention here. If we treat each other considerately on the street, then everyone can move more safely in traffic, said the former Federal Minister and President of the German Traffic Guard Kurt Bodewig.

Most accident-laden year since reunification

The number of injuries rose by 0.8 percent in 2016 compared to the previous year to around 396,700 people. Overall, 2016 was the most accident-laden year since German reunification. The police recorded around 2.6 million accidents, 2.8 percent more than the year before.

The figures are still preliminary; detailed results will not be available until November 2016. However, there are indications that significantly fewer motorcyclists had fatal accidents (15.7 percent fewer). The number of car occupants killed also fell (3.1 percent less). In contrast, more people died on mopeds (8.5 percent more) or bicycles (4.3 percent more).

Highest value in 1970 with 21,000 road deaths

In Bavaria, Berlin, Hamburg, Saarland and Schleswig-Holstein there were more road fatalities in 2016 than in the previous year. With the exception of North Rhine-Westphalia, where the number of fatalities remained the same, the death toll fell in the other federal states. Measured by the number of inhabitants, the risk of dying on the road was highest in Saxony-Anhalt and Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

At the beginning of the 1950s - FRG and GDR added up - almost 8,000 people died on German streets. In the mid-1950s, the number of victims rose to around 14,000. The maximum was reached in 1970 with 21,000 road deaths. Since then, the curve has been falling steadily - with small outliers. Road safety measures such as mandatory seat belts have contributed to this in the car and compulsory helmets for motorcyclists, lowering the alcohol limit or better technical equipment in vehicles such as airbags.

VCD demands further security measures

The ecological traffic club of Germany (VCD) demands further security measures from Alexander Dobrindt. The Federal Transport Minister praised Vision Zero, the goal of zero traffic fatalities, but he “does nothing after the Sunday speeches so that this vision becomes a program,” said VCD Federal Executive Board Matthias Shortck.

The traffic policy spokesman for the VCD, Gert Lottsiepen, calls for the "introduction of the regular speed of 30 kilometers per hour in town and a speed limit on motorways." But ultimately, the road users would have to touch their own nose. “Half of all road traffic accidents could be prevented simply by simply following the traffic rules. Society must decide how much it is worth avoiding thousands of deaths and hundreds of thousands of injuries. (AG / dpa)