As of: February 28, 2024, 9:53 p.m
By: Andreas Schmid
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80 km/h on a country road in the Miesbach district of Upper Bavaria.
© IMAGO/Wolfgang Maria Weber
According to current traffic statistics, there are more fatal traffic accidents in Germany again.
The first associations are therefore already bringing a speed limit on country roads into play.
More accidents, more deaths, more injuries: The traffic statistics for the past year show a negative trend in key points.
A total of 2,830 people died in traffic accidents on German roads - 42 more than in the previous year, as the Federal Statistical Office announced, citing preliminary results.
Around 364,000 people were injured in traffic accidents in 2023, one percent more than in 2022.
However, the numbers are still below pre-Corona levels: compared to 2019, 7.1 percent fewer people sustained fatal injuries.
5.0 percent fewer people were injured.
The total number of accidents in 2023 almost exceeded 2.5 million for the first time since 2019.
The increase compared to the previous year was 4.5 percent, as the Federal Office announced.
Speed to 80 on narrow country roads: “simple measure that immediately saves lives”
In response to the results, several associations took politicians to task.
The German Road Safety Council (DVR) spoke of a disappointing development and pointed to the high risk of accidents on country roads, to which around 60 percent of those killed have been attributed for years.
A large part of the country road network is not suitable for speeds of 100 km/h.
However, the 100 km/h speed limit still applies on all country roads outside of towns, unless otherwise stated.
“The DVR requires a maximum permissible speed of 80 km/h on narrow country roads,” the association demanded in a press release.
“If the structural conditions allow it, the maximum permissible speed for trucks can also be adjusted from the current 60 km/h to 80 km/h.” DVR President Manfred Wirsch explained: “Speed speed 80 on country roads is an easy-to-implement measure would immediately save lives.
There is a great deal of professional agreement on this, but there is now a lack of political will.” The requirement does not apply to wide country roads, some of which are built like motorways.
However, there are hardly any political efforts to change the maximum speed limit on German roads.
This is shown not least by the sometimes very emotional debate about a speed limit on German motorways.
When it comes to country roads, Lower Saxony's SPD Transport Minister Olaf Lies pushed forward last year.
He also demanded a speed limit of 80. “That would minimize overtaking and therefore the risk of accidents,” the minister said at the time.
“Vision Zero”: Criticism for the failure of German transport policy
Criticism also came from the German Transport Club (VCD), which denounced the failure of transport policy.
The traffic light government actually set the goal of ensuring that no one gets hurt in traffic anymore, the “Vision Zero”.
If this were to be taken seriously, 120 km/h on motorways, 80 km/h on country roads and 30 km/h in urban areas would have to be introduced as the standard speed.
The increase in the number of accidents is worrying and makes it clear that the issue of road safety and accident prevention must be put back at the top of the agenda, said the TÜV association.
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Vision Zero means reducing traffic fatalities to almost zero.
The coalition agreement states: “In implementing Vision Zero, we will further develop the road safety program.” The EU Parliament recently launched its driving license reform with this goal in mind.
On Wednesday, however, parliamentarians voted against far-reaching changes - including to the mandatory health checks discussed.