The Road Safety Association has issued a warning following a concerning spike in pedestrian accidents, linking the danger, among other causes, to the distracted use of phones by all road users.
Last week alone, nine pedestrians were struck by vehicles, several sustaining serious injuries. Paul Hammelmann, President of the Road Safety Association, described the situation on Luxembourg’s roads as “unspeakable” in a Friday interview with RTL.
Six of the nine incidents occurred in darkness. As they do every year during the darker months, the Road Safety Association, the police, and the Ministry of Mobility are raising awareness with the ‘Be Visible’ campaign. While the exact causes of the recent accidents are not fully detailed, Hammelmann emphasised that pedestrian safety involves more than just visibility.
He cited the example of Helsinki, Finland, which experiences significantly longer hours of darkness yet has recorded zero traffic fatalities or serious injuries for years. “That’s not because there are too many reindeer on the roads in Finland”, Hammelmann stated, “It’s more that the reindeer are behind the wheel over here.” He attributed Finland’s success to a comprehensive commitment to ‘Vision Zero’ safety principles.
While speed is not the sole cause of accidents, Hammelmann noted it is a decisive factor in their severity. The association is advocating for widespread 30 km/h zones in areas where pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists mix, and suggests exploring shared-space concepts.
Hammelmann also criticised current urban planning, describing an “inflation” of poorly placed or inadequately lit pedestrian crossings. He pointed to an innovative solution used in some French towns: embedding blue LED lights – similar to police lighting – into the road surface at crossings. This approach, he explained, significantly improves compliance as drivers instinctively associate the blue light with a potential police check.
The Road Safety Association emphasises that safety is a shared responsibility, extending to pedestrians as well as drivers. Hammelmann highlighted the particular danger when pedestrians cross roads while distracted by headphones or mobile phones.
While drivers face severe penalties – including a €250 fine and four penalty points – for using a phone, no such sanctions currently exist for pedestrians. Hammelmann advocates for conducting checks on distracted pedestrians, at least in areas where they do not have the legal right of way.
He clarified that while pedestrians have priority on designated crossings, they remain vulnerable road users. “This means that in places where there is a danger to you, you should take that danger into account”, Hammelmann stated.
His comments follow a serious incident on Thursday in Wincrange, where a pedestrian was struck and injured on a wide national road. Hammelmann noted that such roads are inappropriate for zebra crossings. Police have since clarified the incident was NOT a hit-and-run, correcting initial reports from Thursday evening.
