Berlin (d.de) – The number of fatalities on German roads has fallen slightly again this year according to an ADAC estimate. The automobile club experts expect a figure of 2,760 deaths in 2024 – 2.8 per cent fewer than in the previous year. According to the Federal Statistical Office, 2,839 people died in road accidents in 2023. Excluding the period of the COVID-19 pandemic, this trend has shown consistent improvement. The Federal Statistical Office cites a range of different reasons: in addition to legal regulations (maximum speed on rural roads, mandatory use of helmets, seat belts and child seats, changes in alcohol limits), other key factors include improved vehicle technology and road construction measures. The highest figures were recorded more than 50 years ago: in 1970, before the introduction of speed limits on country roads, 21,330 people lost their lives – even though there were far fewer vehicles on the road than there are today.
Each country has its own methods of counting road deaths, so this has to be taken into account when making international comparisons. The 30-day rule is commonly applied in Europe: this means that only a person who dies within 30 days as a result of a traffic accident is considered a traffic fatality.
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