Road accidents in Germany: eight road deaths a day on average in 2023
In total, 2,839 people lost their lives in road traffic accidents last year. This represents 1.8% or 51 more deaths than the previous year. The number of people injured in road traffic accidents increased by 1.5% in 2023, reaching a total of 366,557.
The police recorded a total of 2.5 million road traffic accidents on German roads in 2023, which was 4.7% more than the previous year. In 2.2 million accidents, only property damage occurred. Around 292,000 road traffic accidents resulted in personal injury or death.
The number of accidents involving alcohol decreased from 38,771 in 2022 to 37,172 in the previous year, a decrease of 4.1%. However, the long-term trend shows an increase - there were more such accidents in 2023 than in the years 2014 to 2021.
70% of accidents resulting in personal injury or death occurred within settlements. Roughly 24% of such accidents took place on rural roads, and just under 7% took place on autobahns.
The majority of road traffic fatalities - approximately 58% - occurred on rural roads. A total of 1,635 people died on rural roads in 2023, most of whom were in cars - specifically 879. Of the 1,635 road traffic fatalities on rural roads, 403 were on motorbikes or motor scooters, and 189 were on bicycles.
On autobahns, 302 people died. Within settlements, 902 people were killed in road traffic accidents, two-thirds of whom were pedestrians or cyclists. Sixteen of the total 21 people who died in e-scooter accidents in 2023 did so within enclosed settlements.
In the years 2010 to 2023, the total number of road traffic fatalities decreased by 22.2%. While the number of deaths among car occupants decreased by more than one-third (35.2%), the number of deaths among cyclists increased by 17.1%, and the number of deaths among motorcycle riders and pedestrians decreased by 22.4% and 8.2%, respectively.
- The report from Destatis in Wiesbaden for 2023 reveals a 1.8% increase in traffic fatalities, totaling 2,839.
- In 2023, Germany saw a 4.7% increase in recorded traffic accidents, amounting to 2.5 million.
- To better understand these statistics, it's crucial to note that 292,000 of these accidents resulted in personal injury or fatalities.
- The police in Germany dealt with a cut of 2.2 million traffic accidents in 2023 where only property damage occurred.
- The year 2023 saw a slight decrease in traffic accidents involving alcohol, with 37,172 reported, down from 38,771 in the previous year.
