Skip to main content

Data shows Germany road safety boost

Preliminary data suggests road deaths dropped by 6% in 2021 compared to figures for 2020
By Mike Woof March 31, 2022 Read time: 1 min
There were 2,570 road-related fatalities in Germany in 2021, the lowest rate for over 60 years (© Vondetraumer | Dreamstime.com)

The latest data on crash statistics and road fatalities for Germany shows a marked improvement in casualty rates for 2021.

The preliminary data paints a positive picture, with road deaths dropping by 6% compared to the figures for 2020. The data is of note as it compares a similar picture to France and the UK for example, where casualty rates have also been reduced.

This contrasts strongly with the US also, where road casualty rates actually increased during the pandemic.

There were 2,570 road related fatalities in Germany in 2021, the lowest rate of road deaths for over 60 years. While distances travelled have dropped during the pandemic period, it is of note that more people drove during 2021 than in 2020, so the data reflects a strong overall improvement in road safety in Germany.

Further analysis of the crash data will give greater insight into how this safety improvement has been achieved as more comprehensive information becomes available. It is of note that DUI offences, alcohol in particular but also misuses of drugs, have been an issue in some parts of Germany in the past. Whether this has also been reduced remains to be seen.
 

Related Content

  • Driver aids make inroads on improving safety
    November 12, 2015
    In-vehicle anti-collision systems continue to evolve and could eliminate some incidents altogether. John Kendall rounds up the current developments. A few weeks ago, I watched a driver reverse a car from a parking bay at right angles to the road, straight into a car driving along the road. The accident happened at walking pace, no-one was hurt and both cars had body panels that regain their shape after a low speed shunt.
  • On a WIM – a global view of weigh in motion
    May 25, 2016
    Q-Free’s Andrew Lees looks at regional characteristics and technology trends in the global Weigh-In-Motion market. The principles of Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) are well established. Data derived from vehicles passing over in-ground sensors can be interpreted for vehicle classification (axle counts and spacing) and positive identification (especially when linked to image capture) applications as well as to derive individual axle and gross vehicle weight (GVW).
  • Transit in a time of protest
    July 13, 2020
    Street demonstrations at times create tricky balancing acts for public transportation providers - and the recent Black Lives Matter protests have also put a spotlight on the deeper problem of ‘infrastructural racism’…
  • Distraction dominated teen driver accident causes.
    June 3, 2015
    As a new report shows that distracted driving is a bigger cause of accidents than previously thought, Jon Masters asks what should be done to counter this problem. Research carried out by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has shed new light on the dangers of distraction for teen drivers. Six years of study using video analysis has shown that 58% of all crashes involving teen drivers are caused by the driver being distracted and proved that the influence of external factors is stronger than previously th