Record-low traffic fatalities reported since 1990
In an unprecedented development, Germany has witnessed a significant decrease in road accidents in the first half of 2021. This is the lowest number of deaths and injuries in road traffic accidents in Germany from January to June since records began, according to preliminary figures from the Federal Statistical Office (Destatis).
The decrease in road accidents is attributed to the continued low traffic volume during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effects of the shift to home office and restricted leisure activities. The total number of accidents recorded by the police in the first six months of 2021 was around 1.05 million, a decrease of 2.4% compared to the first half of 2020.
In terms of regional variations, Saxony-Anhalt had the highest number of traffic fatalities per 1 million inhabitants, with 27 deaths. On the other hand, Bremen recorded the lowest number, with just 4 traffic fatalities per 1 million inhabitants. Brandenburg had the second highest risk of dying in a traffic accident with 22 per 1 million inhabitants, followed by Lower Saxony with 19. The city-states of Hamburg and Berlin, however, had the lowest risk, with 4 and 6 traffic fatalities per 1 million inhabitants, respectively.
The number of accidents with fatalities or injuries in the first six months of 2021 was around 109,400, a decrease of 9.3% compared to the same period in 2020. This translates to a decrease of 162 people or 12.6% in the number of deaths, with 1,128 people dying in road traffic accidents in Germany in the first half of 2021. The number of injured persons in road traffic accidents decreased by 10.0% to around 134,800.
Interestingly, the decrease in road accidents in the first half of 2021 is lower than the previous low in the first half of 2020, when the effects of the shift to home office and restricted leisure activities were already apparent.Never since reunification in 1990 have there been fewer people killed or injured in traffic accidents from January to June in Germany.
The number of accidents with property damage in the first six months of 2021 was around 935,700, a decrease of 1.5% compared to the same period in 2020. This decrease in road accidents, while significant, is a testament to the collective efforts towards road safety and the impact of the pandemic on travel behaviours.
The data underscores the importance of continued vigilance and adherence to safe driving practices as restrictions ease and traffic volumes return to normal levels.
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