The Great Debate: Germany’s Fight Over Speed-Limits On The Autobahn

A fierce debate over implementing an 80mph speed-limit on the nation’s world-famous autobahn rages in Germany with auto-industry lobbyists and car enthusiasts in one corner and safety & environmental advocates in the other.

According to the vast majority of the scientific community; climate change is a very real problem that demands immediate action, ultimately giving way to the Paris Climate Accord. Nations from around the world all volunteered to set ambitious goals to lower their respective emissions output and ultimately shrink their carbon footprint. Germany boldly announced that it was committed to lowering overall carbon dioxide emissions by some 40% by no later than 2020 — a seriously tall order when you consider the current figures.

Despite emissions regulations becoming increasingly strict over the last decade or so, that hasn’t stopped emissions in Germany from reportedly spiking by around 6% since 2010. This clearly suggests that the new Euro4 and Euro5 laws won’t be adequate if Germany plans on achieving its 2020 goal. In response, the government has begun exploring other potential options in hopes of lowering emissions.

**The Network Itself **

The Autobahn — or “Bundesautobahn“ (German for "federal motorway") as it’s officially known — is a massive highway network stretching over more than 8,000-miles of roadway — around 70% of which are without any speed-limit (with the exception of busses, trucks, trailers, etc). With the first section from Cologne to Bonn completed in 1932, the Autobahn was the first of its kind and inspired much of the rest of the planet to follow suit with similar highway networks, albeit with pesky speed restrictions.

The Autobahn now serves as a renowned destination for car and motorcycle enthusiasts from all over the world, acting as a major tourist draw. Aside from the Isle of Man and Afghanistan, the Autobahn is one of the last/only places on Earth where one can legally drive as fast as their vehicle will take them.

Getting The Ball Rolling On A Speed-Limit

While dozens of ideas have been kicked around by lower-level government bodies there’s one in particular that, while only in an early preliminary state, has sparked outrage and a heated public debate over the environment, safety, freedom, and Germany’s culture and identity. One local publication, The Handelsblatt, went so far as to compare the heated debate to that of the one surrounding gun control in America. Interestingly, this info was leaked and wasn't ever originally intended for public consumption, and with the harsh backlash the idea received, it's not at all hard to see why they wanted to keep this under wraps.

The proposed law from Germany’s National Platform on the Future of Mobility suggests introducing a country-wide 81mph (or 130kph). The proposal also included an increase in taxes on gas as well as killing the current tax breaks offered on diesel-powered vehicles, though these two weren’t the catalyst for the public outcry the way the speed-limit has been. Of course it’s important to note that Germany’s need to lower emissions doesn’t only stem from the goals set in Paris, as the country faces a litany of exorbitant fines from the EU if it doesn't find a way to drastically lessen its carbon footprint, and soon.

The Benefits

According to projections from the German Federal Environmental Agency — a government branch assigned with finding ways to lower emission outputs — imposing a national speed-limit of 75mph would theoretically cut carbon dioxide emissions (“from cars”) by 6-9% — a figure that can translate to as much as 3,000,000 tons annually. Though they fail to cite any source or study, Germany’s National Police Union — who supports enacting the speed-limit — have stated that a quarter of fatalities, and approximately 5,000 catastrophic injuries that occur on German motorways could be prevented with a speed-limit.

After all, around half of the deaths on the Autobahn — around 400 or so annually — can be chalked up to speeding, and the 30-percent of the network that does have posted speed limits sees around 25% fewer fatal crashes. Supporters point out that experts project the change will indeed be effective while costing little to nothing. While 400 deaths a year is admittedly a lot of lives lost, the number is relatively small when contrasted with other regions in Europe when you look at accidents versus number of miles driven — a fact those on the opposing side of the speed-limit are quick to point out.

**The Opposition **

On the other hand there’s a myriad of outfits that wholeheartedly oppose the potential law. Well over 50,000 signatures opposing the law have been collected, as the reform’s detractors feel the law would have very little impact on either emissions or safety, with the idea being generally perceived (by opposers) as “purely symbolic”. Statistically speaking the Autobahn is actually the safest form of motorized vehicular travel in Germany with more than twice as many deaths occurring in urban collisions than on the Autobahn, and over four times as many deadly rural accidents than on the iconic freeway network.

Interestingly one voice from the anti-speed-limit camp was that of Andreas Scheuer, Germany’s transportation minister, who bluntly stated, “The government is not planning to introduce a general speed limit,” and called the idea, “contrary to every common sense,” despite experts from his own agency reporting data that clearly suggests otherwise.

A quick Google search will reveal that the Autobahn is responsible for its own tourism industry, with dozens of companies offering car rentals — often of the exotic variety — as well as driving lessons, trip packages, etc, all revolving around the freeway. The network of roads has become a go-to local for motorsport enthusiasts around the world and it serves as a point of pride for countless Germans. The phrase “tested on the autobahn” holds weight for a reason, despite it being a mostly symbolic statement with dedicated racetracks existing.

Naturally — not unlike politicians in the US with gun control — political representatives in Germany are essentially afraid of broaching the speed-limit-subject as it is wildly polarizing and can be akin to career suicide. Add to that there are powerful lobbying forces at bay and you can start to get a sense of why around two-thirds of the Autobahn is still without speed restrictions. At the end of the day things are fairly evenly split. The German TV network ARD TV recently took a large pole that found that 47% of citizens oppose the 80mph speed-limit while 51% were in favor of it.

The True Magic of the Autobahn

To many in Germany the Autobahn is more than just a bunch of roads; it’s a symbol of national pride and identity. It’s the proving grounds for one of the culture’s most vital and beloved exports, the motor vehicle. As a country Germany is tightly regulated, and the Autobahn is one of the few vestiges of freedom the nation still clings to. It's in their blood and a part of who they are as a people.

Our Two-Cents

Personally, I get it, though I’m still torn. Part of me understands the need to improve safety and emissions standards, but I also understand just how special the Autobahn is and what it allows for. Above and beyond an unparalleled sense of freedom, the Autobahn is one of the few places in the world where you can push a high performance car or motorcycle to its limits without having to take it to the track or wind up in a jail cell. You can literally ride like you’re on the track on your way to work. Try watching the video below and tell me if that doesn't look wildly appealing?

Whenever I see any kind of supercar or liter-sized sportbike on the street, I always think how dumb it is to own a vehicle that you use on a public road that you’ll never be able to even begin to fully exploit (much less get out of second gear). Why pay for a macine capable of 200mph when you can't ever take it over 65? On the Autobahn, you can crack the throttle wide open and unleash every single pony your ride has, and there’s undeniably a certain magic there.

As of around a week or so ago the German government officially came out and flat out said that as of right now it will not be enacting any new speed limits, though that obviously may change. With Germany going into what will almost certainty become and increasingly desperate state to find ways to cut emissions, it’ll only be so long that, in a nutshell, “I’m German and I wanna drive fast”, will outweigh the objective beneficial facts and figures tied to safety and emissions. 

So if you’ve ever dreamed of heading to Germany and renting a bike to ride all out on the Autobahn, do it while you can because the clock is ticking…