Overview

• Unfallforschung der Versicherer (UDV) head Kirstin Zeidler recommended on August 16 that Berlin study Helsinki’s success after its year without traffic fatalities
• Helsinki achieved 12 consecutive months without road deaths by combining 30 km/h zones, public-transport upgrades and rigorous speed-limit enforcement
• Berlin’s traffic fatalities rose to 55 in 2024, including 24 pedestrians, and its Traffic Safety Program 2030 has faced criticism for slow rollout
• Experts urge targeted infrastructure upgrades in Berlin, such as protected bike lanes, more pedestrian crossings, median islands and clearer sight triangles at junctions
• Specialists call for separated signal phases and an expanded network of fixed and mobile speed cameras to enhance compliance and reduce collision points