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Autobahn Speed Limit Proposal Fails
Germany's parliament voted four-to-one against a proposal that would have set a maximum speed limit of 81 mph on the country's autobahn.
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Germany's parliament voted four-to-one against a proposal that would have set a maximum speed limit of 130 kph (81 mph) on the country's autobahn.
The 498 to 126 vote applies to more than two-thirds of the country’s 13,000 km (8,100 miles) of autobahn highways, which have no speed restrictions. Previous studies have estimated the average speed on the roads is about 142 kph (88 mph).
Backers of the speed limit, which was proposed by Germany’s Green party, argued that a lower limit would improve safety and reduce noise and tailpipe emissions. But critics noted that Germany has a lower rate of accidents and highway fatalities than neighboring countries with speed limits.
The maximum speed limit in Austria, Czech Republic, Denmark, France and the Netherlands is 130 km. Belgium and Switzerland top out at 120 kph.
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