38 people died on the streets in Styria by October 17th this year. In 2020 there were 39 people. With the traditional All Souls’ Action “White Crosses”, the ARBÖ is commemorating those who died in traffic and at the same time is making an urgent appeal to drivers. Buckle up and adjust the speed to the weather and the traffic should always be in the foreground.
Because the main cause of the accidents is still an inappropriate speed and distraction, primarily through smartphones, says Klaus Eichberger, President of ARBÖ Styria. Unfortunately, drink-driving is also a constant cause of serious accidents. The ARBÖ sees the situation as problematic, especially in the two-wheeler sector. Because some of the previous road deaths are – once again – victims of motorcycle or bicycle accidents.
The main cause of motorcycle accidents in general: Excessive speed. In many cases, however, it is not exceeding speed limits that leads to accidents, but rather “inappropriate” speed that leads to fatal falls. “If, for example, a hairpin can only handle 50 kilometers per hour, then I can’t maneuver my vehicle into it at 70. Even if the speed limit were allowed, ”warns Peter Pegrin, regional branch manager of ARBÖ Styria.
Unfortunately, the trend towards cyclists who have had an accident continues. In the first quarter of this year, there were more fatal bicycle accidents than ever before. More than half of them were on an e-bike. This means that in the first few months the number of fatally injured cyclists is higher than that of motorcycles and mopeds.