Rapid checks in Kiel: Police draw initial alarming conclusions!

Rapid checks in Kiel: Police draw initial alarming conclusions!

A traffic control week recently took place in Schleswig-Holstein, which was intended to bring the roads in Kiel and the Plön district into shape from August 4th to 8th, 2025. There were some notable findings that shed serious light on both speeders and general road safety concerns.

The police checked over 12,500 vehicles and caught 1,192 of them speeding. These are alarming figures that show that many drivers would rather press the accelerator than stick to the posted speed limits. A further 4,500 speeding violations were recorded in Neumünster and the Rendsburg-Eckernförde district, further increasing the worrying situation. In addition, eight driving bans were issued and some unpleasant violations were documented: drivers with cell phones attached to their ears, passengers not wearing seatbelts and drunk drivers are just some of the most serious abnormalities observed during the controls. As NDR reports, there were also aggressive driving styles with intense pushing and not following the distance - a real warning signal for all road users.

Reinforcements and awareness raising at EU level

At the same time, a Europe-wide initiative to increase speed control is underway, as Deutschlandfunk highlights. This week of action is a joint effort by several European countries to increase road safety. The police are particularly concentrating on critical areas such as hospitals, retirement homes and schools. After all, these places are often the target of traffic accidents.

Saxony-Anhalt's Interior Minister Zieschang (CDU) sees the controls as an efficient means of raising awareness of traffic safety. This is particularly important because, according to the Federal Statistical Office, excessive or inadequate speed is the main cause of fatal traffic accidents in Germany. The focus on lightning-fast reactions by the police could also make a small contribution to reducing the number of accidents.

An alarming picture of road safety

EU statistics show that thousands lose their lives or are seriously injured in road accidents every year. Although there was a 36 percent decrease in road traffic deaths between 2010 and 2020, the numbers are still alarming. There were 22,800 traffic deaths in 2019, and despite the number falling, every traffic accident is one too many. The EU average is 42 road deaths per 1 million inhabitants, with Sweden having a good average with only 18 road deaths per 1 million, while Romania holds the negative record with 85 road deaths per million, as EU Parliament shows.

Particular attention should also be paid to age groups: 12 percent of traffic fatalities in 2018 were between 18 and 24 years old, even though this group only makes up 8 percent of the population. The proportion of fatal traffic accidents among older people is also increasing, which underlines the need for further preventive measures. It is obvious: road safety is an issue that concerns everyone. Increased control may be a short-term solution, but only lasting behavioral changes can ensure greater road safety.