After four people were killed in an accident with an SUV in Berlin, several Green politicians have demanded new regulations for such vehicles. "We need an upper limit for large SUVs in the inner cities," said the deputy chairman of the Green parliamentary group, Oliver Krischer, the "Tagesspiegel". "The best would be a federal regulation that allows municipalities to enact certain size limits."
An SUV had strayed off the street in Berlin-Mitte on Friday evening and had fatally injured four pedestrians at a traffic light, including a three-year-old boy. On Saturday evening, about 500 people came to a vigil at the intersection Invalidenstraße / Ackerstraße. Also on Sunday, passersby put candles, flowers and pictures at the scene of the accident. Apart from grief, the question of the risk posed by high-powered SUVs is an issue.
"Such armor-like cars do not belong in the city"
According to industry estimates, over one million of all-terrain sedans in Germany would be newly registered for the first time this year, writes the Tagesspiegel. "Cars need more and more parking spaces in cities, where space is becoming increasingly scarce," said traffic and environmental expert Krischer. "You are a danger just for pedestrians and cyclists." It urgently needs a debate, "how big the cars are still to be, who drive around in our inner cities."
The accident in Berlin had sparked a political debate over the weekend. The Federal Director of the German environmental aid, Jürgen Resch, demanded in the "Tagesspiegel" quickly actionable measures against SUV: either a city toll, the entry into cities for large, heavy car very expensive - or a parking ban or significantly increased SUV parking fees in cities.
The district mayor of Berlin-Mitte, Stephan von Dassel (Greens), said: "Such tank-like cars do not belong in the city." Every driving mistake means danger to the innocent. His colleague, Transport Senator Regine Günther, said more reserved: "We need to analyze how this terrible accident could happen before we can draw conclusions."
Police may want to recreate accident in 3D model
"You can not just say: SUV is fundamentally more dangerous than a Polo or a smart," said accident researcher Siegfried Brockmann of the German Insurance Association. More impact than the weight would have speed and nature of the collision. In the Berlin case but the traffic light mast, which the SUV outlined, might have held a smaller car.
Meanwhile, the investigation into the accident continues. Among other things, the police consider a medical emergency at the driver as the cause. The 42-year-old is therefore seriously injured in the hospital. Intentionally exclude the investigators so far.
According to local residents, the SUV has overtaken very quickly on the opposite lane the traffic at the traffic lights and was advised on the sidewalk. The car overturned a traffic light mast and several bollards, broke through a construction fence and only came to a halt on a building plot. To investigate the cause, police want to recreate the accident in a 3D model if necessary.