As of: March 28, 2024 11:57 a.m
Interior Minister Sabine Sütterlin-Waack (CDU) presented the traffic safety report for 2023 on Thursday. Accordingly, there were more accidents but fewer traffic fatalities in Schleswig-Holstein last year.
Sütterlin-Waack called it “gratifying” that the number of traffic deaths in 2023 fell compared to the previous year. According to the minister, the total of 90 traffic deaths that were counted last year represent the lowest number in the country’s traffic statistics. However, Schleswig-Holstein continues to pursue the goal of “Vision Zero”: no deaths and no serious injuries in road traffic.
Specifically, the number of traffic accidents rose by 8.2 percent last year compared to 2022, from 18,179 to 19,669. This means that the value before the 2019 pandemic has been exceeded again. There was an increase of 6.6 percent in accidents that do not require recording. These are usually based on a minor administrative offense.
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Number of accidents involving trucks at the highest level
The number of accidents involving trucks rose to an all-time high. Therefore, according to Minister Sütterlin-Waack, controls on commercial passenger and freight traffic remain the focus of police traffic safety work. Opposition politician Niclas Dürbrook (SPD) criticized that traffic monitoring in the country is not set up well enough. He called for more attention to this area.
Involvement of children in accidents is declining
According to the report, fewer children were involved in traffic accidents compared to 2022. The number fell by four percent to 1,183 cases – and even below the value in the pre-Corona year 2019. According to Sütterlin-Waack, children are the weakest road users – especially in cars. The importance of properly securing children is often underestimated.
The minister therefore made a very clear appeal: “Only take children with you in the prescribed restraints. This also and especially applies to the so-called parent taxis, where the appropriate restraints are not always taken into account due to the change of vehicles and passengers.”
Influence of narcotics as a cause of accidents at its highest level
The main causes of accidents are repeated errors when turning, disregarding the right-of-way regulations and inadequate speed. What is alarming in this context is the high number of traffic accidents under the influence of intoxicants (excluding accidents involving alcohol). With 251 accidents under the influence of narcotics, the current road safety report shows a highest number since statistics were recorded
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NDR 1 Wave North | News for Schleswig-Holstein | March 28, 2024 | 12:00 o’clock