Hamburg Traffic Fatalities Rise by 40% in 2024, Despite Overall Safety Improvements
Hamburg, Germany – The number of people killed in traffic accidents in Hamburg surged by nearly 40% in 2024, reaching 39 fatalities, according to the city’s police department. This marks a significant increase from the 28 deaths recorded in 2023.
Police President Falk Schnabel attributed the rise in fatalities to a combination of factors, including increased traffic volume, speeding, and distracted driving. Notably, 20 of the fatal accidents were deemed to have been caused by the victims themselves, including all six motorcycle riders and eight of the 14 pedestrians who died.
Victims and Circumstances
Among the victims were two children, mirroring the previous year’s toll. A nine-year-old boy was tragically killed on February 19th when he lost his balance while reaching for his jacket at a bus stop in the Neuallermöhe district and was struck by an oncoming bus.
The second child, a two-year-old boy, was killed on August 26th when the car he was riding in with his twin brother was hit by two other vehicles traveling at excessive speeds. The Staatsanwaltschaft (public prosecutor’s office) has charged the two drivers, aged 23 and 24, with illegal street racing and joint murder.
Overall Safety Trends
Despite the increase in traffic fatalities, Hamburg’s Innensenator (Interior Senator) Andy Grote pointed to an overall positive trend in road safety. The number of accidents resulting in injuries decreased by 4.6% to 7,426, while the number of injured individuals dropped by 5.0% to 8,874. Furthermore, the number of injuries per 100,000 inhabitants fell from 494 to 465, reaching a level not seen outside of the pandemic years of 2020 and 2021.
Child Road Safety
Grote highlighted a particularly significant decline in the number of injured children, which dropped by 18.8%. According to Grote, "Never before has the statistical risk of children being harmed in traffic in Hamburg been as low as it is now."
The police department has emphasized the importance of road safety education and enforcement, particularly with regard to speeding and distracted driving. They will continue to work in collaboration with other agencies to improve road safety and reduce the number of traffic-related fatalities and injuries in Hamburg.
