Germany Tackles Road Manners
April 24, 2007
The people polled said drivers are more inconsiderate than they used to be, with women and older drivers feeling particularly annoyed by impolite drivers and those who drive very fast, the Transport Ministry's survey showed.
Germany is famed for its fast cars and high speed highways -- the autobahn, stretches of which do not have speed limits.
The country even attracts international auto-tourists, who book special vacation packages to enjoy the freedom of driving as fast as they want.
Off the autobahn, Germans unhappy on the road
It's not so much road rage that is getting on everyone's nerves, as "road rudeness." Germany's Transport Minister Wolfgang Tiefensee said the results of the poll are a warning signal, adding that action needed to be taken soon.
Tiefensee has launched a new campaign encouraging people more consideration to fellow drivers. To kick off Global Road Safety Week, Tiefensee unveiled a poster in Berlin on this week bearing the slogan: "Do you have strength of character? Drive responsibly."
Some 800 posters will go up on billboards along highways around the country. One of the faces of the campaign is high-profile German soccer international Philipp Lahm. In using celebrities to present their message, the ministry is hoping to get through to young drivers in particular.
New drivers are dangerous
The Transport Ministry study showed young men who have just received their driver's licenses are primarily responsible for the increasing aggression on the road. They are also the drivers involved in or responsible for serious or fatal accidents in disproportionately high numbers.
Over 1,000 out of 5,000 people who died in traffic accidents in 2005 were young drivers. Drivers between 18 and 25 years old make up over 30 percent of alcohol-related accidents.
Tiefensee also said stricter drinking limits are now in place for new drivers. A new law to go into effect at the end of the summer bans any drinking for drivers in their first two years.
Harsh penalties to send a message
Offenders caught with traces of alcohol in their blood will face a fine of 125 euros ($160) and have their names registered in an index of traffic offenders. In addition, they will have their license probation period extended by four years and will have to complete a course on behavior in traffic at a cost of 450 euros.
For drivers who've had their licenses for longer than two years, a blood alcohol limit of 0.5 milligrams per milliliter of blood will apply. That is about two small beers or a shot of hard liquor.