In Saxony, the number of road accidents in 2022 increased by 2.7 percent compared to the previous year. More than 97,000 accidents were recorded. The number of people involved in accidents also increased. Here the increase was 16.1 percent.
Accordingly, 16,386 people were injured in traffic accidents in the Free State last year. This figure was given by the inspector of the Saxon police, Petric Kleine. As in previous years, the main causes of accidents with personal injury were in particular inappropriate speed (11.9 percent), right-of-way violations (10.9 percent) and insufficient safety distance (10.3 percent). The share of accidents with the main cause “driving under the influence of alcohol” was 4.7 percent. Accidents under the influence of medication and drugs accounted for 0.7 per cent of the total.
Inspector Kleine said: “The Saxon police want to make the roads in Saxony safer and further reduce the number of road users killed and injured in traffic.” The increase in the number of accidents and casualties is “a signal not to slacken in these efforts.” He said the significant decrease in the number of people killed on the roads last year to 118 was positive, 8.5 per cent less than in 2021, and the lowest number in a ten-year comparison.
However, the number of cyclists involved in accidents rose by 23.3 per cent to 4,781. 22 cyclists died. That is two more than in 2021. 120 people were involved in accidents while using very small electric vehicles, 18 of them were seriously injured. Kleine commented: “The increase in accidents in this area worries me!” Coordinated measures from a wide range of government and social actors are needed to curb it. Equally important is the observance of traffic rules by all road users.
Road safety is also an important subject at the European Police Congress of the Behörden Spiegel. It will take place on the 3rd and 4th of May 2023 in Berlin.
