Overview
- The Unfallforschung of the GDV presented survey results on Monday that show nearly all measured indicators of aggressive road behaviour worsened since 2023, with long‑term increases visible over about a decade.
- Almost half of drivers (47%) admit to tailgating when traffic is slow and about one third say they cut in so close after overtaking that the other vehicle must brake.
- Smartphone use behind the wheel rose notably: about one in four drivers sometimes writes messages and one in five uses social media while driving, while fewer respondents now judge that behaviour as very risky.
- Cyclists also report more infractions, with 43% saying they sometimes force right‑of‑way, and the study highlights a large self/other perception gap—most people see others as more reckless than themselves.
- The UDV and GDV urge more police checks, tougher sanctions, targeted enforcement technology such as mobile phone detectors, and infrastructure changes to separate road users, and large majorities in the survey back stricter rules like a zero‑alcohol limit and a 130 km/h autobahn cap.