Last year, 972 pedestrians were victims of a traffic accident at dusk or in the dark, most of which (198) in December. It is striking, however, that 40 percent of these accidents occurred on a protective route. Shockingly, in December this was more than half. The call for a 30 km/h speed limit is once again loud.
There were a total of 3,434 pedestrian traffic accidents last year, 52 of which were fatal. Of the 972 people injured at dusk or after dark, 215 suffered serious injuries and another 21 died. This is evident from data from Statistics Austria, which the VCÖ has analyzed.
“It is alarming that 386 pedestrians were hit on a protective path,” says VCÖ expert Katharina Jaschinsky.
More than a hundred children died in accidents
104 of those who died at dusk or in the dark last year were walking children. “The driver of a vehicle must behave towards people to whom the principle of trust does not apply, in particular by reducing the driving speed and being prepared to brake, in such a way that any danger is excluded,” says the StVO. In addition, the ‘invisible protection path’ applies to children: they must be able to cross the road safely, even if there is no such path.
More speed 30 required
Traffic planners should therefore focus on calming traffic and increasing the speed limit from 30 km/h in the local area, Jaschinsky said. The braking distance is half as long as at 50 km/h. To improve visibility, the stopping and parking ban on security paths should be extended from five to ten meters. In addition, depending on demand, they should be better illuminated.
Source: Krone
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