Fewer accidents than in 2017; but more serious injuries and fatalities
The canton of Zurich today presented the traffic accident figures for 2018: On the one hand, the picture is encouraging, as there is a decrease in the total number of accidents compared to 2017. On the other hand, there was another massive increase in e-bike accidents.
In the canton of Zurich, 16,502 police-registered accidents occurred throughout the canton in 2018. In a 5-year comparison, this represents an increase of 12%. There was an increase in both property damage and personal injury accidents. 626 people were seriously injured on Zurich's road network last year (+7% in a 5-year comparison). 33 people were killed in traffic accidents in 2018. This is an unfortunate development compared to 2016 and 2017, when 22 people were killed each. This is according to the road accident statistics published today by the Zurich Cantonal Police (Kapo).
Due to the continuing popularity of e-bikes, the massive increase in the number of e-bike accidents is once again negative. According to the data, a total of 1,353 accidents occurred in the entire cantonal territory in which at least one bicycle or e-bike was involved. The extremely long, dry and hot summer of 2018 is probably partly responsible for the larger number of serious accidents involving two-wheelers, as the Kapo emphasizes. More two-wheelers were sold and the season was extended due to the good weather. This has led to more traffic with a correspondingly increased risk of accidents.
Causes of accidents
According to the police, the main causes of serious accidents are failure to control/adapt speed, the condition of the driver, failure to yield the right of way and, as before, inattention and distraction, especially through the use of cell phones.
Around 80% of all seriously injured and killed are pedestrians and two-wheelers. They belong to the so-called "unprotected road users" and do not benefit to the same extent from the technical protection systems of motor vehicles. However, the Kapo emphasizes that around 60% of all serious two-wheeler accidents are self-inflicted (skidding / self-inflicted accidents).
Measures to improve road safety
To combat serious accidents, he said, it is imperative to continue to focus police repression on the main causes of accidents: distraction, impaired driving and speed. Likewise, the proven campaign "fewer accidents involving senior citizens", which has been running since 2015, will be continued. However, the cantonal police are also considering developing a new two-wheeler campaign for the target group of 40 to 65-year-olds, as they are also increasingly involved in serious accidents.
The analysis of accident locations as well as accident causes and types for serious traffic accidents is a prerequisite for taking appropriate measures to further improve road safety. For this purpose, targeted preventive and repressive measures as well as measures to improve the infrastructure are available, as the cantonal police emphasize in conclusion. (rs)
Here it goes to the detailed traffic accident statistics.
