Traffic police are removing speed bumps from roads.
Speed Enforcement Action Kicks Off Across Germany
A nationwide traffic enforcement action is set to take place from August 3 to August 10, with a focus on promoting road safety and combating speeding. This action, which will affect not only commuters but also drivers and drivers on their way to vacation, comes as a response to the high number of traffic accidents in Germany.
The German police (GdP) view this action as more than just a drop in the bucket and have called for higher fines for traffic offenders, with the vice-chairman of the GdP, Michael Mertens, leading the charge. Meanwhile, the Automobile Club of Germany (ADAC) sees the action week as a contribution to more road safety.
The action will target various high-risk areas, including hospitals, nursing homes, pedestrian crossings, bus stops, and construction sites. The State Police Office in Schleswig-Holstein has announced that the probability of driving into a measuring point is very high throughout the country during the action week.
Excessive or inappropriate speed is the number one cause of fatal traffic accidents on German roads, according to the Federal Statistical Office. In 2023, this factor was a contributing factor in around 39,100 road accidents with personal injuries. Studies indicate that a 1% increase in average speed raises injury crash frequency by about 2% and fatal crashes by about 4%.
Arguments for intensified speed controls as a means to improve road safety include evidence that lower speeds reduce crash frequency and severity, particularly endangering vulnerable road users like pedestrians and cyclists. Countries like Finland have achieved significant reductions in traffic fatalities through comprehensive speed control networks combined with lower limits, especially in built-up areas.
However, concerns about traffic flow and efficiency are often cited as arguments against intensified speed controls. Conventional traffic planning often prioritizes maintaining or increasing average speeds to reduce delays and travel time. Some argue that speed limits based on the "85th Percentile Rule" reflect natural driver behavior, and overly restrictive controls may cause frustration or noncompliance.
In Germany, innovative approaches focus not only on direct speed enforcement but on data-based early hazard detection to target dangerous locations without necessarily broad speed reductions. Moreover, German autobahns, which have limited access and physical separation of traffic, maintain higher speed zones with relatively lower fatality rates compared to rural roads, suggesting that road design also critically influences safety beyond purely speed limits.
ADAC has stated that not all risks on the roads can be permanently eliminated with an action, and the police warn against using apps during driving that alert to speed traps. The managing director of the German Road Safety Council, Stefan Grieger, stated that drivers would be more attentive during the control action and pay more attention to speed.
Several federal states, including Brandenburg, Baden-Württemberg, Rhineland-Palatinate, and Saxony-Anhalt, will participate in the action. The police Union (GdP) believes these temporary controls do not go far enough. Despite these concerns, the action is expected to have a significant impact on road safety in Germany.
[1] Federal Statistical Office (2023). Road traffic accidents in Germany. Retrieved from www.destatis.de [2] World Health Organization (2018). Global status report on road safety 2018. Retrieved from www.who.int [3] European Transport Safety Council (2021). Road safety performance index 2021. Retrieved from www.etsc.eu [4] European Transport Safety Council (2021). Speed management in Europe: Best practices and recommendations. Retrieved from www.etsc.eu [5] Federal Ministry of Transport and Digital Infrastructure (2019). Road safety in Germany. Retrieved from www.bmvi.de
The German Automobile Club (ADAC) has expressed that the action week, aimed at promoting road safety, would also serve as a contribution to sports-betting responsible driving, encouraging drivers to maintain lower speeds, especially near high-risk areas like pedestrian crossings, bus stops, and hospitals. In light of the worrying statistics showing excessive speed as the leading cause of fatal traffic accidents in Germany, betting responsible driving and adhering to speed limits is crucial for both personal safety and sports-betting security.
