Cyclist falls after collision in Friedewald – police ask for witnesses!

Cyclist falls after collision in Friedewald – police ask for witnesses!

In Friedewald, in the Hersfeld-Rotenburg district, an incident occurred late on Saturday evening that not only brought the local traffic situation into focus, but also raised the question of the safety of cyclists on the roads. According to information from the Hersfeld newspaper There was a collision between a 53-year-old cyclist and an unknown car that was driving out of a side street. The cyclist fell and crashed into a minibus parked in a hotel parking lot. In the first contact between the two, the driver of the car was helpful, but everything happened much too quickly and personal details were not exchanged.

What followed was surprising: a few hours after the accident, the cyclist felt pain and had to be taken to the Bad Hersfeld Clinic. Fortunately, there was no damage to property in this incident, which makes the situation easier but underlines the importance of road safety. Police and cycling organizations are alarmed as similar accidents have increased recently. The police are now urgently looking for witnesses to the incident and ask you to contact the Bad Hersfeld police station on 06621/9320 or via the online watchdog (polizei.hessen.de).

Road safety

The situation shown is part of a larger problem that is being observed nationwide. According to the current statistics from the Federal Statistical Office, a total of 441 cyclists died in road traffic in 2024, which, despite a decrease compared to 2023, represents a significant increase in a ten-year comparison. At that time, one in six fatalities was traveling by bicycle, and it cannot be overlooked that collisions with cars were the main cause of accidents resulting in personal injury in 70.7 percent of cases. Drivers were primarily to blame for these collisions in more than 75 percent of cases, underscoring the urgency of education and prevention. The daily news also shows that older people aged 65 and over are particularly at high risk. Almost two thirds of the fatally injured cyclists belonged to this age group.

In connection with the accident in Friedewald, the situation may have initially ended lightly, but it is still a wake-up call for all other road users. Let's protect each other on the road by acting carefully and considerately. Cyclists should always pay particular attention to their surroundings and not be afraid to actively seek communication with other road users. At a time when e-bikes are becoming increasingly popular and there are a large number of cyclists on our roads, more needs to be done to ensure safety.

Given the above statistics and incidents, many hope that such accidents will soon become a thing of the past. As the incident in Friedewald shows, safety can only be achieved together - through attention, mutual respect and clear communication in traffic.