According to a recent study, many of the 406 pedestrians killed in traffic accidents in 2025 could have survived if a mandatory speed limit of 30 kilometers per hour were enforced within built-up areas across Germany.
The investigation conducted by the Björn-Steiger Foundation revealed that a particular type of accident-the ‘crossing accident,’ involving collisions while pedestrians are crossing the road outside of designated intersections-occurred particularly often during the survey period. The study’s head of accident research, Siegfried Brockmann, emphasizes that vehicle speed plays a crucial role in these incidents.
In fact, one quarter of these accidents happened at crosswalks, and in about one-third of those cases, safety deficiencies were identified. Brockmann labeled such installations as creating “a false sense of security and are unacceptable”. He stated that these crossings must either be redesigned to meet proper standards or removed entirely.
The research also highlighted that severe accidents disproportionately affected children and seniors. While the elderly were often overlooked, children frequently ran out from sightlines or darted onto the roadway unannounced. Therefore, standardized pedestrian crossing aids should be installed more frequently in areas with high pedestrian traffic. Brockmann concluded by stressing that many accidents could be prevented through appropriate behavior. He stressed the urgent need to raise driver awareness regarding the dangers of excessive speed.
