Overview
- Research from Ruhr-Universität Bochum estimates 35% fewer fatalities and 26% fewer serious-injury crashes on currently unrestricted sections with a 120 km/h cap.
- Extrapolation suggests preventing about 58 deaths, around 904 serious injuries and roughly 1,375 minor injuries annually, with accident costs falling by about €216 million.
- The study covers about 6,500 km of autobahn from 2017–2019 and algorithmically matches comparable 500‑meter segments with and without limits, accounting for road, traffic and weather factors.
- Findings indicate stronger effects near on‑ and off‑ramps and on lightly trafficked stretches, though some differences are only partly statistically significant.
- Author Maike Metz-Peeters cautions that nationwide outcomes are uncertain due to potential behavioral shifts, as ADAC legal guidance highlights how the 130 km/h advisory and visibility rule already influence liability.