Woman (73) seriously injured in parking lot accident in Nörten-Hardenberg!

Woman (73) seriously injured in parking lot accident in Nörten-Hardenberg!

On Saturday afternoon, August 10, 2025, a serious accident occurred in the parking lot of a truck stop at the Nörten-Hardenberg motorway junction. A 73-year-old woman was trapped between two parked cars. She suffered a fracture in her lower leg, while the vehicle that hit her was undamaged. According to HNA, a 59-year-old woman drove backwards out of her parking bay and overlooked the unfortunate woman who was sitting on the trunk of her car vehicle stood. This is not an isolated case, as traffic accidents of this type occur frequently and are always a cause for concern.

Coincidence or misfortune? Another incident in a parking lot kept authorities busy the same day. Between 12:15 and 12:30 p.m., a driver damaged the right front fender of a parked Golf and then fled. The damage caused amounts to around 4,000 euros, and the police are asking for information from witnesses as the incident took place at the Edeka Center in Bad Gandersheim.

The accident statistics in Germany

Traffic accidents are an everyday risk. According to Statista, there were around 2.5 million road traffic accidents in Germany in 2024. Despite a slight decrease compared to last year, increasing traffic flows are affecting safety on our roads. What is particularly noteworthy is that most accidents involve property damage. The number of personal injury accidents has not changed drastically for decades, but remains at a level already seen in the 1950s.

An ambitious goal of the EU transport ministers is “Vision Zero” – zero traffic fatalities by 2050. However, this must be supported by improved infrastructure and increased awareness among all road users. Statistics also show that alcohol plays a role, with approximately 40% of alcohol-related accidents in 2024 resulting in 198 deaths and 17,776 injuries.

Factors for accidents

The most common causes of traffic accidents are insufficient distance and inadequate speed. This is proven by the figures from the Destatis statistics. Fog and wildlife accidents should also not be underestimated, as the 298 accidents caused by fog and 2,412 wildlife accidents with personal injuries show. E-bikes and e-scooters have also contributed to a rise in traffic accidents in recent years, with over 26,000 injuries or deaths recorded in 2024.

In summary, road safety is a never-ending challenge. Prevention measures are essential to reduce the number of accidents and thus protect human lives. The current events in the parking lots in Nörten-Hardenberg and Bad Gandersheim can be understood as a serious warning.