The number of road deaths and people injured on Swiss roads fell significantly last year, with 357 killed and 4,759 sustaining serious injuries.
This content was published on
1 minute
The Swiss Council for Accident Prevention said the number of deaths was seven per cent lower than in the previous year and the number of injured was down nine per cent.
It described the figures in a statement on Tuesday as “historically low”.
The Council said the positive trend, in particular for pedestrians and motorcyclists, was due to a number of factors, including a 30 kilometres per hour speed limit in built-up areas and technical progress made in some vehicles.
It also cited increased speed checks by the police and the lowering of the permitted level of alcohol in the blood.
However, it noted that a continuing cause of concern was that almost one in four road death victims was a motorcyclist.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Switzerland rates poorly in pedestrian safety
This content was published on
The results of a study of 16 European countries carried out by the Touring Club of Switzerland (TCS) revealed a poor performance by Switzerland concerning road safety. In 2006 a total of 370 people died on Swiss roads, a fifth of them pedestrians. Of those a quarter were killed on zebra crossings. At 20.5 per…
This content was published on
Roland Wiederkehr, head of RoadCross, says offenders should be made to visit victims in hospital and calls on the government to show more courage in confronting the car industry. Late on November 8, teenage drivers were racing along roads in canton Solothurn in heavy fog at speeds of up to 100km/h when, trying to overtake…
This content was published on
The plans, announced on Wednesday and sent out for consultation to organisations concerned, include mandatory helmets for cyclists, stricter drink-driving standards and extra training and tests for drivers. Transport Minister Moritz Leuenberger said the aim was to reduce the number of accidents that result in death and serious injury. Some road safety organisations have backed…
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here. Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.