Road safety: fatalities decrease significantly
In 2016, 216 people died in traffic accidents. This is a decrease of 15% compared to the previous year. E-bike riders are still at high risk.
Last year, the number of fatal accidents fell by 15 percent to 216 compared to 2015, according to the latest figures from the Federal Office of Transport FEDRO. Since the start of the nationwide census in 1940, the figure was only lower in 1945 with 211 fatalities. In 1971, it was 1773 (the highest level). Since then, the number has fallen continuously by a total of 88 percent.
Acceptance for motorcyclists
There were also fewer fatalities among motorcyclists; in 2016, 43 motorcyclists were fatally injured in traffic accidents (- 35 percent). Among occupants of passenger cars, 75 people died, as in the previous year. The number of people seriously injured fell by 1 percent.
E-bike and bicycle fatalities and serious injuries at high level
There were 24 fatalities among cyclists, one person fewer than in 2015, while the number of people seriously injured increased slightly from 838 to 854. The increased emergence of e-bikes in recent years has led to a significant increase in accident victims, reaching a peak in fatalities in 2015 and serious injuries in 2016. With a total of 210 accident victims, the figures show an upward trend. Two-thirds of these are people over the age of 50. Around a quarter of the e-bike riders involved in serious accidents were riding a fast e-bike with a pedal assistance of up to max. 45 km/h.
Decrease in the number of pedestrians killed in accidents
Among pedestrians, 50 people are involved in fatal accidents. This corresponds to a decrease of 14 percent. Among the fatalities were five small children (up to 4 years old). They had an accident away from a pedestrian crossing. Almost half of the pedestrians killed were senior citizens. Most of them also died away from a pedestrian crossing.
Decrease on the freeways and highways
The number of people killed on highways or freeways fell to 28, 20 of whom were passenger car occupants. Four tourists died in a tragic accident before the Gotthard south portal.
The overview can be found on the website www.unfalldaten.ch
