Road fatalities in Germany increase sharply, reversing a 20-year trend

According to Germany's Federal Statistics Office, Destatis, the number of people who died in road traffic accidents in Germany increased by 9.9 per cent to 4,009 in 2011 compared to 2010 - the first time in 20 years that the number of fatalities has risen. Paradoxically, the overall number of road traffic accidents registered by the police was down by 2.1 per cent (to 2.36 million in 2011) compared to 2010.
July 10, 2012 Read time: 2 mins
According to Germany's Federal Statistics Office, 6163 Destatis, the number of people who died in road traffic accidents in Germany increased by 9.9 per cent to 4,009 in 2011 compared to 2010 - the first time in 20 years that the number of fatalities has risen. Paradoxically, the overall number of road traffic accidents registered by the police was down by 2.1 per cent (to 2.36 million in 2011) compared to 2010.

The majority of fatal accidents, 60.9 per cent, happened on out of town country roads and this sector the largest percentage increase – 10.6 per cent - over the previous year.

‘Unsuitable speed’ was still the most common fault in 2011 but the absolute number of accidents due to inappropriate speed actually decreased in 2011. However, there were 7.1 per cent more of deaths in these accidents: nearly 40 per cent of all traffic fatalities last year were due to excessive speed of drivers involved in accidents.

The statistics also reveal an increase of 17 per cent in the number of alcohol related fatalities in accidents, the first time this has increased since 2002, and which related to 10 per cent of all fatalities.

The only major improvement recorded was that the number of children who died in road accidents in 2011 was down 17.3 per cent over the previous year.

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