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30 speed limit in Lower Saxony: More safety and less traffic jams!
Lower Saxony is testing 30 km/h speed limits in cities; Results show benefits for traffic safety, the environment and quality of life.
30 speed limit in Lower Saxony: More safety and less traffic jams!
An exciting debate is unfolding around speed limits in Germany. While speed limits continue to be heatedly debated on motorways, inner-city regulations are high on the agenda. Particular attention is paid to the introduction of 30 km/h speed limits in urban areas, as recently tested in a model experiment in Lower Saxony. Loud Perspective Daily The preliminary results revealed several advantages that speak in favor of such a measure.
The study shows that the introduction of a speed limit of 30 km/h not only reduces noise pollution through a more homogeneous traffic flow, but also greatly increases safety for pedestrians and cyclists. Despite the overall number of accidents remaining the same, the number of serious accidents has fallen, which can be attributed to increased reaction times and shorter braking distances. Air quality and pollutant emissions also improve through smoother traffic, reducing traffic jams and waiting times.
New legal basis for 30 km/h speed limit
A decisive step in this direction was the amendment to the Road Traffic Act (StVG), which was passed by the Bundestag on October 20, 2023. This new regulation enables municipalities to make 30 km/h regulations more flexibly and can now also be justified by aspects such as health and urban development. NDR reports that cities in Lower Saxony, including Hanover and Braunschweig, had long advocated adapting their speed adjustments to local conditions.
Despite this progress, the Lower Saxony Association of Cities is dissatisfied as it demands an even more ambitious approach. The general manager, Jan Arning, criticizes the fact that preventative traffic safety is not given sufficient attention. In order to implement the 30 km/h speed limit, proof of the risk to road users is still necessary.
The speed limit on motorways: A divided picture
The discussion about driving behavior and environmental protection takes on a whole new dimension. Experts estimate that a speed limit of 120 km/h could reduce CO₂ emissions nationwide by up to 4.7 million tons annually, which is why the time is more than ripe for an objective dialogue on this topic. It will therefore be exciting to see how the legal situation will develop in the next few months.