Greens demand a package of measures for increased traffic safety

The Greens have accused the black-red Senate of doing too little for traffic safety on Berlin's streets.

"Already this year, 23 people have been killed in traffic. And it's only June," said Antje Kapek, the transport policy spokeswoman of the Green parliamentary group, on Thursday in the House of Representatives. "Where are the immediate action packages, the safety promises, or legislative initiatives?"

The Greens support the Senate's goal of achieving Vision Zero, which aims to reduce the number of traffic fatalities to zero. But they also need to act on it.

Greens Call for More Speed Checks

During the plenary debate on the topic, Kapek advocated for stricter actions against speeding violations.

“Berlin has just 38 fixed speed cameras.”

And instead of installing the announced 60 new speed cameras, the governing coalition wants to save in this area - even though the speed cameras could generate revenue that would more than cover the costs.

“Instead, dozens of laser handheld devices collect dust in the cabinet, and mobile speed cameras are used on average for less than two hours per day,” criticized the Green Party representative.

But even in places where cameras are used, this often goes without consequences.

Traffic Violations Remain Unpunished

"Last year alone, more than 50,000 traffic violation cases were dismissed, and that's only because the fines office is utterly overwhelmed," criticized Kapek. "That's an average of 30 euros per case, so in total more than 1.5 million are lost."

The likelihood of being penalized on Berlin's streets for running a red light, speeding, and drunk driving often tends towards zero.