The relationship between speed and the increase in the number of deaths and injuries has lead to some interesting academic research. "the relationship between speed and road accidents has been studied extensively and is very clear: the higher the speed, the greater the probability of a crash and the severity of the crashes." But as ETSC note: 'this similarity of percentages takes no account of traffic volumes on different sections.' The fact that 33% of German motorways have a permanent limit and 67% have either a temporary limit or none means that these figures, at first glance, show that having a speed limit does not the lower the number of fatalities on motorways. The autobahn system, with a total length of 12,845km, has often been the topic of debate in the past and is a guaranteed catalyst for road safety groups, environmentalists and politicians.īut do speed limits affect the number of deaths on motorways? A 2008 report by the European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) found that of the 645 road deaths in Germany in 2006, 67% occurred on on motorway sections without limits and 33% on stretches with a permanent limit. Stretches of the motorway, most famously referenced by Top Gear, currently have no speed limit although the advisory limit stands at 81mph. The chairman of his party was quoted last Wednesday as saying that a 75 mph (120 kph) autobahn limit would make sense because statistics suggest it would reduce serious accidents, according to Associated Press (AP). German Chancellor Angela Merkel's challenger, Peer Steinbrueck has been trying to halt a debate set off by a Social Democrat colleague about whether to introduce speed limits on all German highways. Once again the debate on whether German autobahns ought to have a speed limit has resurfaced.