Traffic Senator Jarasch (Greens) wants to reduce speed to increase safety. Gunnar Schupelius believes that this argument does not work, because serious accidents tend to happen less on the open road and more at intersections when turning.
By Gunnar Schupelius
Tempo 30 applies to all secondary roads in residential areas. This makes sense for security reasons and is accepted.
Things are different on main roads. You want and need to move faster. If the maximum speed is limited there, one would like to have an explanation for it.
Tempo 30 applies in sections on a total of 69 main roads. This is a clear case in front of schools, kindergartens and hospitals.
Noise protection and air pollution control are less convincing reasons. Do 30 engines really make less noise? Will the air really be cleaner if we only drive 30 instead of 50?
The Senate explains: “The evaluation shows that the establishment of 30 km/h on main roads can contribute to a reduction in NO2 pollution (…) on an annual average.” The air can therefore be improved by 30 km/h, but does not have to be.
All of this is not enough for the Greens in the Senate, they want to reduce the pace across the board. “Cars have to drive more slowly,” says Transport Senator Bettina Jarasch. She calls for a change in the road traffic regulations.
There, § 45 regulates nationwide under which circumstances the speed can be limited on a main road. In March, Ms. Jarasch demanded that in future each federal state should decide for itself.
She wants to impose a speed limit of 30 on main roads in order to increase road safety. But will traffic really be safer if the speed is reduced? “No,” says the ADAC, “there is no significant improvement in road safety.”
► Read all of Gunnar Schupelius’ columns
And the Federal Environment Agency has not yet come to “conclusive statements” about whether the risk of accidents decreases significantly at 30 km/h.
In fact, the braking distance at 30 km/h is significantly shorter than at 50 km/h. The vehicle comes to a standstill more quickly.
However, this advantage is not significant, because serious accidents mainly occur when turning at intersections.
But there the pace is reduced anyway. If you turn, brake beforehand. Traffic Senator Jarasch also confirms this connection: “Most fatal accidents are accidents involving trucks turning right without assistance systems.”
You won’t prevent these accidents with a speed of 30. It follows that it can usually stay at 50 km/h on main roads without compromising safety.
Tempo 50 but is like a red rag for the Greens, they fight against it.
In doing so, they ignore the fact that drivers do not drive for fun, but mostly on their way to work. They ignore all the suppliers who have to work through their lists every day and move on quickly. They ignore all the tradesmen rushing from appointment to appointment.
The list of those who take damage from Tempo 30 is long. In other words: time is money. Anyone who works hard knows that. Only in the higher green officials of the traffic administration and in the parties, where ideology rules, do they not know.
If you want this city to function, you make sure that traffic flows, and at a reasonable pace.
Is Gunnar Schupelius right? Call: 030/2591 73153 or email: [email protected]
