In 2020 alone, 26 people lost their lives on Luxembourg's roads, among them also cyclists and pedestrians.
But the number of people left with serious injuries is even higher. In order to improve road safety, the European Federation of Road Traffic Victims (FEVR) demands the introduction of a generalised speed limit of 30 km/h. Despite criticism, the Federation reiterates the advantages of such a measure.
To some, driving at 50 km/h is already too slow. Now, the debate around a speed limit of 30 km/h within towns and villages is being brought up again.
Jeannot Mersch, the president of FEVR, stresses that the goal is not to abolish the 50 km/h speed limit completely. Instead, the demand aims at making 30 km/h the new standard and 50 km/h the exception. This means that on main roads and thoroughfares, 50 km/h zones would remain while 30 zones would become the new standard for urban areas.
A 30 km/h speed limit would thus make sense on certain roads, for instance alongside schools. Such a measure would also not necessarily mean that drivers would need longer to reach their destinations.
Minister for Mobility François Bausch argues that if someone drives through a village at a constant 30 km/h, they would lose less time than in stop & go traffic. A more relaxed speed limit would also calm down drivers and improve safety for everyone, Bausch explains.
The aim of the new speed limit is to increase safety and to achieve the government's "Vision Zero 2030" strategy.
Vision Zero 2030 means no deaths or serious injuries from road accidents within Luxembourg's towns and villages, Mersch explains. The 30 km/h speed limit were an important step towards that goal.
Vehicles driving at 30 km/h have quicker reaction times and a shorter braking distance. This gives those involved in accidents a higher chance of survival.
However, a 30 km/h speed limit is not the only way to reduce the number of road victims. Vania Henry from the Luxembourg Motoring Association (ACL) explains that training and information could also go a long way. People need to be able to empathise more with others and would automatically develop more respect for each other if they had more understanding, Henry adds.
