Report by the City of Chemnitz Accident Commission on road accidents in 2012 and measures to improve road safety
The Chemnitz Police Department presented the 2012 accident report for the Chemnitz city area at the most recent meeting of the Traffic Accident Commission. The positive trend of the previous year has continued. At 7,716, the number of road accidents is at its lowest level for ten years, including 890 accidents with personal injury. 1,114 people were injured and five people were killed.
The main causes of accidents in 2012 were:
- 15.8 %: insufficient safety distance
- 14.1 %: failure to give way
- 12.7 % errors when turning/reversing
- 6.4 %: incorrect lane change
- 5,5 %: Errors when turning
- 4.7%: inappropriate speed
- 1,5 %: Alcohol influence
Based on the available accident data, 92 accident-prone areas were reported to the accident commission. Focal points are, for example
- Leipziger Straße/Wittgensdorfer Straße
- Leipziger Straße/Hartmannstraße
- Reichsstraße/Annaberger Straße
- Bahnhofstraße/central bus stop
- Mühlenstraße/Brückenstraße
- Zschopauer Straße/Lutherstraße
- Frankenberger Straße/Margaretenstraße
- Dresdner Straße/August-Bebel-Straße (Thomas-Mann-Platz)
- Leipziger Straße/Winklerstraße
- Bahnhofstraße/Waisenstraße
The accident commission has already passed resolutions for 58 accident blackspots, which have been adopted in recent years and are to be implemented step by step. 26 measures are planned for realisation in 2013.
Further measures to alleviate the individual accident blackspots are planned for 2013/14, including
- Zschopauer Straße/Lutherstraße traffic lights
→ lane signalling for left-turning traffic on Zschopauer Straße and guidance of
cycle traffic at the Leipziger Straße/Heinrich - Leipziger Straße/Heinrich-Heine-Straße junction (out of town)
→ Reduction of the speed limit to 70 km/h - Südring/Usti nad Labem road
→ Ordering a ban on left turns from Südring into Usti nad Labem street and
structural closure of the crossing at the centre island - Grove Street
→ Installation of stop signs at the junctions of Peterstraße and Gießerstraße that require waiting
Peterstraße and Gießerstraße, changing the lane markings - Thomas-Mann-Platz traffic lights
→ Secured guidance for left turns from August-Bebel-Straße into Dresdner Straße in connection with the
in connection with the reconstruction of the traffic lights - Theaterstraße/Mühlenstraße/Brückenstraße
→ Preparation of the implementation planning for the necessary reconstruction of the traffic lights in 2014
in connection with the removal of the ban on left turns from
Mühlenstraße into Brückenstraße (new lane signalling for left turns) - Leipziger Straße between Hartmannstraße and Winklerstraße
→ Preparation of the implementation planning for the necessary reconstruction of all existing traffic lights
traffic lights on this stretch of road (in this context,
the reduction of the permitted speed to the urban speed limit is planned).dtische
standard speed of 50 km/h, structural interventions in the road space and public transport
acceleration planned)
For the work of the accident commission, it is not only important to decide on and implement measures, but also to check whether the expected effect could actually be achieved in the specific case. To this end, effectiveness tests are carried out to compare the accident situation before and after the implementation of a measure. At the most recent meeting, this test was carried out for Zwickauer Straße between Falkeplatz and Kappler Drehe.
The following measures have been gradually implemented here since 2010:
- Reduction of the speed limit to the standard city centre speed of 50 km/h
- Changing the lane layouts
- Adaptation of the entire signalling programme (6 traffic lights affected), in particular with a view to speeding up public transport
- Marking of a cycle lane on the landward side from Reichsstraße
- Selective structural changes
In addition, the Marianne-Brandt-Straße bus stop area was remodelled in 2012 under the responsibility of CVAG.
The accident trend here confirms a positive trend. There has been a significant reduction in the number of accidents, but also in the severity of accidents. This applies not only to the individual intersections, but also to the entire stretch of road. It is particularly noticeable that Kappler Drehe has no longer been listed as an accident blackspot since this year.
Despite the positive development at the Zwickauer Straße/Reichsstraße junction (2010: 64 accidents, 2012: 39 accidents), this accident blackspot had to be analysed again, as there are still conflicts between drivers turning onto Zwickauer Straße and cyclists going straight ahead.
A separate right-turn lane was marked in front of Reichsstraße in the direction of travel towards the city on Zwickauer Straße (previously a mixed lane straight ahead/right). This has had the effect of eliminating the numerous rear-end collisions. However, this has now also resulted in drivers turning off at higher speeds. Some drivers do not pay attention to cyclists on the cycle path alongside the road.
The conclusion is that improvements are required from a road safety perspective. This means that the signals must separate the right-turning flows and the parallel pedestrian/cyclist flows, which is to be implemented in 2014.
At the Zwickauer Straße/Ulmenstraße junction, there are still conflicts between drivers turning right from Ulmenstraße into Zwickauer Straße and motorists travelling inland on Zwickauer Straße. Turning on red with a green arrow sign is possible here. Traffic observations after the meeting of the accident commission have shown that approx. 70 % of drivers here do not observe § 37 Para. 2 No. 1 StVO. This states, among other things, that turning right after stopping is also permitted on red. When doing so, drivers must behave in such a way as to avoid obstructing or endangering other road users, especially pedestrians and vehicles travelling in the permitted direction of traffic.
The green arrow sign should be replaced by a signalised green arrow.
The work programme for 2013 was drawn up by the accident commission. According to this programme, 21 other accident-prone areas in the city will be examined more closely over the next few months and short and long-term measures will be decided on.
Improving road traffic, legal and structural aspects of dangerous road locations is of great importance, but this alone cannot increase road safety. If road users understand that mutual respect makes the transport system safer for everyone, we will have gained a lot.
The new road traffic regulations came into force on 1 April 2013. The aim of the new version of the StVO - in addition to a reorientation towards cycling - was to reduce the number of signs and thus encourage road users to take responsibility for themselves and to increase the importance of the remaining signage. By demanding more personal responsibility from road users, this is more effective in terms of safety and order than merely selectively effective traffic sign regulations.