The media, including social networks, report on serious road traffic accidents on a daily basis. As mobility has become extremely important for people of all ages, both professionally and in their leisure time, such news has an impact on people's sense of safety in many different ways.
This is precisely where the work of various institutions comes in, as does that of the Gütersloh district police authority. We make road safety work to reduce road accidents a very high priority and a core task. After all, life and physical integrity are regarded as the most important legal interests in our constitution and it is the task of the police to combat road accidents to protect these legal interests. For us, it is a particularly important but also constant task to create safe transportation for citizens and to align this in a sustainable manner.
This includes orienting ourselves each year to the developments in traffic accidents in the previous year. This is done by comparing the figures with those of the previous year, but also in comparison with long-term trends.
For 2023, it can be seen that the total number of road accidents has risen slightly. However, it can also be noted that the number of road accidents resulting in personal injury fell overall and the number of people who died in a road accident almost halved, reaching a single-digit figure for the first time.
Children:
Fewer children were involved in accidents in 2023 than in 2023. The number fell from 175 to 171. Among them were 15 seriously injured. Most children had accidents on bicycles. No children were killed.
Adolescents:
There was a slight increase in the number of injuries among adolescents (from 109 to 111); most adolescents were also involved in accidents on their bicycles (47). No young people were killed.
Young riders (18 - 24 years):
Significant decrease in the number of casualties by 27.60% (from 279 to 202). One young driver had a fatal accident while driving a car.
Senior citizens (65+):
The number of casualties fell slightly compared to the previous year, from 260 to 253. Two senior citizens had fatal accidents (traffic involvement: 1 pedestrian, 1 cyclist).
Group of cyclists and pedelec riders:
Decrease in the number of casualties (from 706 to 611)
- 3 cyclists died - 76 were seriously injured
A high number of unreported road accidents involving cyclists can still be assumed.
Photo from left to right: Senior Police Director Holger Meier, accident victim Angelika Meyer, Senior Police Officer Volker Pfeiffer, Chief Superintendent Heiko Patzelt, District Administrator Sven-Georg Adenauer, accident victim Werner Grundkötter