Road traffic: more fatalities
253 people died in road traffic accidents in 2015. While passenger cars are becoming safer and safer, the number of pedestrians and cyclists killed is increasing disproportionately.
253 people died on Swiss roads last year. This means that the number of fatal accidents increased by 4% or 10 people compared to 2014 (cf. Accident statistics 2011-2015). However, the Federal Roads Office (Astra) does not want to speak of a trend reversal: The number of traffic fatalities is still 16% below the average of the past four years. In 2012, for example, there were still 339 traffic fatalities.
On the other hand, the number of people seriously injured has decreased, from 4043 to 3830. This is a decrease of 5%.
Two-wheeled vehicles particularly often affected
Although the number of fatally injured cyclists decreased by 14 % compared to 2014. In contrast, the number of e-bike users killed increased. 14 people were killed here (compared to 5 in the previous year). More than two-thirds of the fatalities were 65 years of age or older.
Last year, 66 motorcyclists died in accidents, an increase of 25% compared to 2014. The exceptionally mild weather in the summer of 2015 likely contributed to this increase. As a result, nearly two-thirds of fatal motorcycle accidents occurred in the period from June to September; in 2014, the figure was less than half.
Measures for two-wheeled vehicles
Astra emphasized that increasing the safety of two-wheeled vehicles is a permanent concern: for example, an enforcement aid was developed to remedy the infrastructure deficits for motorcycle traffic. In addition, a brochure analyzing accidents involving cyclists was published in 2015. In addition, there are the road safety campaigns and training courses for the actors involved in prevention (e.g. Fund for Road Safety FVS).
More pedestrian fatalities
Pedestrians are also more affected than last year, with 58 pedestrians killed in traffic crashes in 2015, 35 %more than 204. Nearly two-thirds of those killed were 65 or older, and about one-third died at pedestrian crossings. However, over several years, the number has been declining.
Major accidents hit statistics
Last year, a slight increase (+4 persons) in the number of fatal accidents on highways and freeways was recorded compared to 2014. The reason for this increase was three particularly serious accidents, each involving several fatalities. With the exception of 2012 (car accident in Sierre), the number of fatalities on freeways and freeways remains at a low level with a general downward trend.
