More traffic accidents in Bavaria – Key accident figures better than in pre-Corona years – Development of cycling fatalities worrying – Extensive measures for more road safety.

Due to the lifting of the Corona restrictions, there were significantly more road users on Bavaria’s roads again in 2022. Unfortunately, this was associated with more traffic accidents and more accident victims than in 2021, as was the case everywhere in Germany. “However, compared to 2019, the last year before the pandemic, we had significantly fewer traffic accidents and accident victims in 2022,” Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann classified the balance of the Bavarian traffic accident statistics 2022 presented today. The Interior Minister announced numerous focal points and campaigns for greater road safety as part of the Bavarian Road Safety Program 2030 ‘Bavaria mobile – safely to your destination’. “We will pay particular attention to even greater safety when cycling,” Herrmann emphasized.

In total, there were 375,700 traffic accidents in Bavaria last year. Although this is 4.7 percent more accidents than in 2021 (359,002), it is 9.8 percent less than in 2019 (416,611). According to Herrmann, it should also be taken into account that the number of registered motor vehicles in Bavaria has increased by around 120,000 to around 10.6 million. The number of people injured rose to 61,781, 9.0 percent more than the previous year (2021: 56,683), but 7.9 percent less than in 2019 (67,079). 519 people died on Bavaria’s roads in 2022, 76 traffic fatalities more than in 2021 (2021: 443), but 22 traffic fatalities less than in 2019 (541). Herrmann: “Apart from the two Corona years 2020 and 2021, this is the lowest level of traffic fatalities in Bavaria since accident records began more than 65 years ago!”

Absolutely not satisfactory from Herrmann’s point of view is the development in bicycle accidents. “Unfortunately, the bike boom is also accompanied by more traffic accidents. In particular, the high number of cyclists killed in traffic accidents is worrying.” For example, the number of cycling accidents in Bavaria has increased significantly in recent years, by a quarter in 2022 compared to 2015 (2015: 15,405, 2022: 19,646). In the process, 18,296 cyclists were injured (2021: 16,039, 2019: 16,210) and 84 cyclists were killed (2021:63; 2019: 77). This is the highest number of cyclists killed since 2009 (97). Cyclists alone were involved in just over one-third of traffic crashes (37.3 percent). Cyclists themselves caused about two-thirds of bicycle accidents (68.4 percent). More than one-third of all fatalities (31, 37 percent) involved a pedelec. “The higher speeds traveled obviously lead to more serious injuries,” Herrmann explained. “Special cycling courses, for example from the ADFC, can do a lot to prevent accidents, especially for inexperienced pedelec cyclists.”

For the interior minister, one thing is certain: “We have to make cycling even safer.” This includes more mutual consideration between motorists and cyclists and that everyone obeys the traffic rules, he said. The Bavarian police will pay more attention to this during checks, he added. According to Herrmann, around 800 police officers are already on bicycle patrol throughout Bavaria, bringing them even closer to the action. “In addition, together with the Ministry of Transport, we support close exchange between the ADFC, police and municipalities to defuse potential danger spots and to design bike paths.”