Hardly anyone would like corona lockdowns back, but in one respect the restrictions had a positive side effect: fewer accidents and fewer road fatalities. That seems over now.
The corona-related calm on Germany’s streets is over. So far this year, the number of traffic accidents has risen sharply, especially the number of accidents with injuries and deaths.
According to the Federal Statistical Office, there were around 729,300 road accidents in the first four months, 82,600 or 13 percent more than a year earlier. Among them were 73,900 accidents with injuries and/or deaths, an increase of 24 percent. 704 people lost their lives. However, the numbers are still lower than 2019, the last year before the pandemic.
“It’s getting more dangerous on our roads again,” said Jörg Kubitzki, security researcher at the Allianz Center for Technology (AZT) in Ismaning near Munich. The corona bonus of the sharp drop in the number of accidents seems to have been completely used up for this year. “The development hardly excludes any type of vehicle and does not even exclude pedestrians and bus drivers.” Especially in the upcoming travel season, everyone should be aware of this about-face on the road, said Kubitzki. “Whether on a bike, in the car or as a pedestrian.”
According to the ADAC, there are still fewer people on the road than before the pandemic began. “Overall, mobility behavior still does not seem to have reached the level of 2019 due to increased fuel prices and home office options,” said a spokesman. In April 2022, there were 25 fewer road deaths and around 5,100 fewer injuries than in April 2019.
For the summer, the ADAC urges caution. Concentration suffers in extreme heat and performance drops. Other road users are often not sufficiently recognizable in shadow areas on longer stretches despite the sunshine.
