How Is The Autobahn Safer?
The Autobahn, surprisingly, is safer than the United States highway system because they have many strict rules and are really good at hiding when needed to catch you. They have camera's that catch you when your speeding, they have monitoring systems that allow the government to see and know the weather and traffic conditions so they can change the speed, open or close lanes, or change the signals on the signs on the autobahn when needed to make it safer. They also have radio broadcasts like the US, but the Germans know to check it continuously, and the radio system has a tool that they use so that when you're listening to a tape or CD, your radio automatically switches over to the broadcast when the traffic report is on. And depending on the weight or size of your vehicle, the passengers, and how much speed you can attain, you are restricted to certain areas and speeds on the autobahn.
In 2004, the German Autobahn had an annual fatality rate of 3.2 per billion km while the United States interstates had an annual fatality rate of 5.0 per billion km. Germans take driving very seriously and find it a privilege.
In 2005, there were "only" 662 accidents on the highway compared to the 4,699 on the other roads.
What, also, makes the the autobahn much safer, is that the German engineers use freeze-resistant concrete mix to make them safer during the winter. Constant construction keeps people with jobs, and also keeps the people driving at high speeds on excellent paved roads with limited risks.
There is no stopping on the autobahn due to laws. Regardless if children are misbehaving, a pair of sunglasses flew out the window, or if a vehicle runs out of gas, there is no excuse to stop because these are considered avoidable circumstances.
All German vehicles must be equipped with a reflective vest, a warning triangle, and a self-aid kit. If an accident disables your vehicle, you are required to put on your vest, place the warning triangle about 600 feet behind your vehicle, and then contact the authorities.
Your car must be inspected to be allowed to go on the autobahn. Germany has strict laws of which vehicles can pass an inspection to be clear and safe on the autobahn. A single rust spot, a dent in a critical location, a burned-out headlight, or even a small chip in the windshield would give them a reason to reject your car from the Autobahn.
In 2004, the German Autobahn had an annual fatality rate of 3.2 per billion km while the United States interstates had an annual fatality rate of 5.0 per billion km. Germans take driving very seriously and find it a privilege.
In 2005, there were "only" 662 accidents on the highway compared to the 4,699 on the other roads.
What, also, makes the the autobahn much safer, is that the German engineers use freeze-resistant concrete mix to make them safer during the winter. Constant construction keeps people with jobs, and also keeps the people driving at high speeds on excellent paved roads with limited risks.
There is no stopping on the autobahn due to laws. Regardless if children are misbehaving, a pair of sunglasses flew out the window, or if a vehicle runs out of gas, there is no excuse to stop because these are considered avoidable circumstances.
All German vehicles must be equipped with a reflective vest, a warning triangle, and a self-aid kit. If an accident disables your vehicle, you are required to put on your vest, place the warning triangle about 600 feet behind your vehicle, and then contact the authorities.
Your car must be inspected to be allowed to go on the autobahn. Germany has strict laws of which vehicles can pass an inspection to be clear and safe on the autobahn. A single rust spot, a dent in a critical location, a burned-out headlight, or even a small chip in the windshield would give them a reason to reject your car from the Autobahn.
RIP Bernd Rosemeyer
On January 28, 1938, Bernd Rosemeyer was a race car driver who wanted to to beat the world speed record. During the Mercedes Benz Grand Prix high-speed prototype race, Rosemeyer was going so fast that he lost control of the car and, under strong pressure of wind, he was thrown out of his car and crashed on the roadside (Picture: See Below). The car ended up smoking and was trashed. German's still drive by the area and remember what had happened and they even left a memorial sight for him.
Bridge Collapse in Kempten on May 1, 1974 (See Below)
BMW Test Driver Killed in Accident
A BMW test driver was killed in a prototype accident testing out the 3-series hybrid. The driver was testing this car at high speeds when suddenly a truck driver pulled into the passing lane right in front of him. The driver, then, tried swinging off to the side but rammed right into the trailer of the truck. The crash was so violent and the driver was killed on impact. The fact that he was the only one in the car at the time made it so that there were no other casualties. The authorities still had to close down the A92 for a few hours so that they could study the evidence in order to finish the investigation.
Another BMW Driver Accident, But Not Killed
Another car crash with another BMW! This crash was an "almost made it" situation. This driver was driving a BMW M5 took out his speed limiter so he was able to go up to top speed. As he was driving on A81, a car pulled out in the passing lane, not noticing a speeding BMW in the rear view mirror. The driver of the BMW, then, had to stomp on his brakes and swerve to the side. The M5 lost control, smashed into the median barrier, shot across the Autobahn and rolled over several times before coming to halt in the grass. The other driver fled the scene of the accident after pulling out in front of him. Although, in good news, the sons of the M5 driver were following him in a BMW M3 and an M6, who ran to the scene to help their father and the passengers get out and extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher.
Three Dead in a 52-Vehicle Pileup
The accident happened on the A31 and all the reports show that it was a very foggy day and so they believe that the weather is what triggered the huge pileup. But how could being foggy cause 52 vehicles to crash into each other, 3 deaths, and 35 injured. This accident caused 6 miles of the highway to be closed down till investigated and cleaned up.