Germany records surge in traffic deaths, cyclists disproportionately affected

Police in the Schwaben Nord region of Bavaria reported 13 traffic fatalities in the first half of 2026, of which 11 involved two‑wheel users – five motorcyclists and six cyclists or e‑bike riders. Only two deaths were car drivers. Notable cases included a 53‑year‑old cyclist killed after a car door opened in Lechhausen, a 70‑year‑old cyclist hit by a truck in Herrenbach, a 59‑year‑old cyclist struck by a tram, a five‑year‑old girl killed in a car crash on the B17, and an 18‑year‑old motorcyclist colliding with a parked semi‑tractor. Police said each accident had distinct causes and no single hotspot was identified.

National statistics from the Federal Statistical Office show that Germany recorded 2,832 road‑traffic deaths in 2025 – roughly eight people per day – and about 371,000 injuries, a slight increase over the previous year. The total number of police‑recorded accidents rose to 2.52 million. While overall fatalities have fallen since the 1990s, the share of cyclists and pedestrians among urban deaths remains high: 63 % of inner‑city fatalities involved cyclists or pedestrians, and 42 % of bicycle deaths involved e‑bikes. Alcohol‑related crashes dipped marginally to 34,800 incidents.