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

  • Machine vision - cameras for intelligent traffic management
    January 25, 2012
    For some, machine vision is the coming technology. For others, it’s already here. Although it remains a relative newcomer to the ITS sector, its effects look set to be profound and far-reaching. Encapsulating in just a few short words the distinguishing features of complex technologies and their operating concepts can sometimes be difficult. Often, it is the most subtle of nuances which are both the most important and yet also the most easily lost. Happily, in the case of machine vision this isn’t the case:
  • Ukraine turns to ITS to cope with traffic increases
    June 9, 2015
    With increasing road fatalities the Ukrainian government is planning to introduce ITS technology in 2016-2017. Eugene Gerden finds out more. The government of Ukraine is considering a massive introduction of ITS in the national system of traffic during the period 2016-2017, according to a recent statement by the Ukrainian Ministry of Transport. According to the Ukrainian government, implementation of the project is an acute need, as in recent years the number of road accidents in Ukraine has significantly
  • A new beginning for travel information, based on users' needs
    February 3, 2012
    Despite its name, the EU's forthcoming SUNSET project could represent a new beginning for travel information services. Here, Susan Grant-Muller and Frances Hodgson from the Institute for Transport Studies at the University of Leeds detail a project which is intended to exert a greater influence on network users' travel habits
  • Cost benefit goes under the microscope
    August 21, 2017
    Conventional cost benefit analysis (CBA) of plans for urban smart mobility initiatives needs serious rethinking, according to a recently-completed European study. The three-year Evidence Project (the Project) emerged in response to concerns about the availability and quality of documented research – including CBA – required to prove that investment in sustainable urban mobility plans (SUMPs) can be economically beneficial. Covering 22 sectors ranging from electric vehicles to shared spaces, the Project clai