Traffic - Speeding driver races with Berlin police
A driver on the run from the police drove through Berlin-Steglitz at high speed at night, disregarding several red traffic lights. The 52-year-old was eventually stopped by the police - after he jumped out of his car and attempted to flee on foot. The man did not have a driver's license, the police reported. He is being investigated for, among other things, reckless driving and hit-and-run.
Police from the civil highway patrol observed a car driving too fast in Berlin-Lichterfelde at Unterfuhrung Unter den Eichen/Drakestraße. When they activated their stop signal and blue lights to pull the driver over, he reportedly accelerated. A high-speed chase ensued. At the Rathaus Steglitz S-Bahn station, he suddenly braked - and abandoned the rental car. The car continued for a few more meters without a driver and collided with a police car. The suspected racer was apprehended by the police approximately 200 meters away. However, he was later released.
Berlin is a hotspot for street racing
Berlin is nationally known as a hotspot for illegal street racing and reckless driving. At the end of May, two people were killed in a serious accident near the Berliner Kurfürstendamm. The public prosecutor is investigating for manslaughter and illegal street racing.
In the year 2023, the Berlin Justice Administration initiated investigations in 811 cases of suspected racers. According to the public prosecutor, there were already around 250 proceedings in the first three months of the current year.
Since October 2017, banned car races have been a criminal offense, whereas they were previously punishable as an administrative offense. Since then, participation in such races can be punished with prison sentences. So far, only fines have been imposed. According to jurisprudence, flight attempts from the police can also be assessed as banned car races.
The police frequently conduct highway patrol operations to prevent dangerous racing on Berlin's highways, especially in areas known for such activities like Steglitz.
The news of a police car involved in an accident due to a driver's reckless behavior has led to increased calls for stricter penalties for street racing and hit-and-run incidents in Berlin.
Despite the potential penalties, including prison sentences, some individuals still choose to engage in prohibited car races on Berlin's roads, often leading to accidents and endangering other road users.
The incident where a driver attempted to evade police by speeding through Berlin-Steglitz at night and disregarding traffic laws highlights the need for ongoing efforts by police forces to curb illegal street racing in the city.
