Motorcycle accident in Backnang: 28-year-old injured in overtaking maneuver

Motorcycle accident in Backnang: 28-year-old injured in overtaking maneuver

On Tuesday afternoon, June 10th, there was a serious accident between a motorcycle and a car in Backnang. In the incident, a 28-year-old motorcyclist was injured while trying to overtake two cars. At this point, the 75-year-old driver of a Renault with a trailer drove out of a dirt road onto the road, which the motorcyclist noticed too late and ultimately collided with him. The injured person was taken to a hospital for further medical care, as the ZVW reported.

Accidents involving motorcyclists are often particularly dangerous. In 2012, before the motorcycle season, 651 motorcyclists died and 9,690 were seriously injured in Germany. The head of accident research at the insurers (UDV), Siegfried Brockmann, emphasizes that motorcyclists are five times more likely to be involved in overtaking accidents with injuries or deaths than other road users. Over 80 percent of motorcyclists and 60 percent of those involved in an accident are no longer able to react before an impact, which underlines the danger of such situations. This is particularly relevant when considering the high speed differences of up to 140 km/h that can occur when overtaking. Derigschel UDV documents such dangerous situations in crash tests in which motorcycles collided with vehicles at high speed.

Growing danger in road traffic

Particular risk factors when overtaking are known, and the accident in Backnang proves that in practice these can have tragic consequences. Almost every third fatal overtaking accident in Germany involves an overtaking motorcyclist. Therefore, responsible risk assessment is essential to reduce the number of such accidents. Brockmann appeals to motorcyclists to be aware of the dangers they face and recommends taking part in safety training to actually reduce the risk of accidents.

The technical equipment in vehicles cannot currently completely prevent or mitigate accidents of this type. This shows that the responsibility to ride safely and manage one's own risk lies primarily with the motorcyclist themselves. Current statistics and accident research illustrate the central role of a preventive safety culture when dealing with motorcycles on the roads.