Speed Limit for the Environment?

German autobahns are famous around the world mainly because that they do not have a universal motorway speed limit. Some travel companies, as a result, are offering special trips to Germany, where their clients spend a week driving around as fast as possible. It is mainly wealthy Chinese who are coming to Germany to experience the speed rush and they end up spending more than $4000 a week doing so.

If you mention “autobahn” to a car enthusiast you will see his or her eyes instantly light up. However, highways in Germany, where you can drive as fast as you want, are becoming increasingly rare. Almost half the highways in Germany have already speed limits for noise reduction and also to regulate the high traffic volume on German streets.

The debate to introduce a national speed limit for motorways and similar roads in Germany rages on. Most political parties have been fighting for a national speed limit for decades, but at present, there is still not a common speed limit. Although a single German state, Bremen, has recently set a speed limit on their Autobahns in order to reduce CO2 emissions and also to reduce traffic accidents.

But less speed does not automatically mean more safety. Examples from other European countries have shown that a reduced speed limit does not inevitably result in an increase in safety. The initial point for most accidents in Germany is not speeding but rather drivers habits of tailgating the car in front or poor judgment in bad atmospheric conditions. Autobahns are actually the safest roads in Germany. Although 30 precent of all traffic is on Germany's autobahns, less than 6.5 percent of all serious accidents happen on them.

So is a speed limit really necessary and is it a solution to CO2 emissions and pollution?

There’s no doubt about that we need to reduce our CO2 emissions to effect climate change and to control their consequences. Almost one fifth of the climate damaging CO2 emissions in Germany are caused by traffic. High speed, combined with frequent braking and acceleration causes unnecessary high fuel consumption and leads therefore to higher CO2 emissions. All European countries have implemented speed limits which range from 120 to 130 km/h. As a result of these speed limits, you will not just combat the CO2 emissions, but traffic becomes much more relaxed, flows more continuously and causes fewer traffic jams. It is my view that a speed limit has many desirable benefits.

Whilst governments are actively reducing CO2 emissions, we should not forget what impact the auto industry can make on the environment. It is important that they continue to reduce fuel consumption in the cars they build. which will result in less CO2 emissions. The European automobile industry is committed to reduce the CO2 emissions from each newly built car to maximum 140g/km by the end of 2008. At this moment in time, very few European car manufacturers have achieved this target. Japanese manufacturers continue to lead the way on development on greener cars.

To implement a universal speed limit is a step in the right direction in the fight against CO2 emissions and pollution. However, car manufacturers worldwide need to continually strive for better and more efficient designs similar to what has happened in the aviation industry.