German Road Traffic Deaths Hit Record Low

klaus23

German statistics on road traffic casualties are just in from 2008 and have been calculated at 4467 - or the lowest since the end of the Second World War. This represents a drop of 482 deaths or a percentage reduction of 9.7%. Bucking the trend of deaths decreasing while injuries rose due to advances in vehicular safety features, the number of persons injured in traffic collisions has also been reduced by 5.5% to 407,900.

The Department of Transport has hailed the revision of the Road Traffic Act and increased penalties and points as well as a crackdown on speeding on Bundesstrassen (A-Roads/National Roads) as the deciding factor alongside the rollout of increased driver education and intense media campaigning.

New legistation included heavier penalties for not keeping enough distance (being within 10m of the car in front at 100km/h now gets you a €240 fine and 4 points) and a revision of speeding fines. So 10km/h over at 100km/h comes to a reasonable 10, while 30km/h above the 100km/h national speed limit (outside an urban area) gets an €80 fine and 3 points.

Similarly, being 20km/h over a 50km/h limit attracts a fine of €35 but if you're detected at 90km/h in an urban area you're looking at €160, 3 points and a month off the road.

Perhaps a 'one-size' fits all enforcement of speed limits is not the answer then? As it stands currently, anywhere from 101km/h to 149km/h on Irish National roads will garner you two hard earned points, while above that you might have a day out in court. And while this may be borderline acceptable on a deserted national road in Cavan on a sunny Sunday morning at 7am it does not deal with the 80km/h everywhere brigade who show no concept of grasping the urban speed limit, let alone its purpose.

Finally, Germany had a population of 82,369,552 in July 2008 so road traffic deaths of 4467 mean a rate of 5.58 road deaths per 100,000 persons. Irish statistics don't compare as well yet at (279 in 2008, population of 4,156,119) 6.71 per 100,000 and the German rate is further distorted because due to its central location it is Europe's biggest 'transit' country - the German/Polish border alone is crossed by 10,000 trucks daily.

So it appears that in terms of road safety we still have a long way to go, and instead of enjoying junkets to Australia to visit the relatives and be lectured on 'initiatives' from non-comparable jurisdictions, perhaps it would be prudent to look a little closer to home?

jimmmy

klaus23 wrote: »

So it appears that in terms of road safety we still have a long way to go, and instead of enjoying junkets to Australia to visit the relatives and be lectured on 'initiatives' from non-comparable jurisdictions, perhaps it would be prudent to look a little closer to home?

yes