Tragedy in Braunschweig: Auto after accident on fire - two dead!

Tragedy in Braunschweig: Auto after accident on fire - two dead!

On May 24, 2025, a devastating traffic accident occurred in Braunschweig, in which two people lost their lives. The 46-year-old driver from Hanover and his 34-year-old passenger from Braunschweig crashed when her Skoda came off the road in a left curve and hit the concrete railing of a bridge over the Mittelland Canal. The car caught fire and already burned after the emergency services. After extinguishing work, the fire brigade was only able to recover the two lifeless occupants from the vehicle, reported fireworld.at.

The accident recording took place by the Braunschweig traffic accident service, supported by an accident expert. The exact circumstances of the accident are currently being investigated.

traffic accidents in Lower Saxony

The fatal incident in Braunschweig highlights a highlight of general traffic safety in Lower Saxony. According to the traffic accident statistics, which was presented by the Lower Saxony Minister of the Interior and Sport, Daniela Behrens, the total number of police accidents registered in 2024 fell by 1.8 % to 209.001 accidents, which corresponds to 3,929 less than in the previous year. 347 people died in 2024 as a result of traffic accidents, which represents a decline of around 18 % compared to the previous year. This is the lowest number of traffic fatalities since statistics began more than 70 years ago. police-nds.de

The main cause of accident death remains too high, followed by ancestor's attention and errors when overtaking and turning. The increase in deaths in young adults between the ages of 18 and 24, where the number has risen to 58, is particularly alarming. This is five more than in 2023. Among the deadly crashed young adults, 28 had a fatal accident as a result of tree accidents.

security situation and causes of the accident

The accident data from recent years show a clear trend. From 2002 to 2022, the number of traffic accidents in Lower Saxony dropped by 20.9 %, while the people killed even decreased by 55.5 %. However, alcohol and drugs remain a serious problem, because 23 people died in 2024 due to trips under the influence of intoxicating means. The police emphasize the need for intensive controls and prevention work in road traffic, also in the context of cannabis legalization, which came into force in April 2024, but cannot yet present any valid figures regarding their effects. [magazin.statistik.niedersachsen.de] (https://magazin.statistik.niedersachsen.de/zumen-der-ver traffic accident statistics-niedersachsen-2002-und-2022/)

The danger on the streets remains: A traffic accident occurs every 2.5 minutes, and someone is accidentally an accident every 13 minutes. Pedestrians and cyclists, with the latter suffered a total of 49 fatal accidents in 2024, 31 % less than in the previous year.

The tragic accident in Braunschweig illustrates the urgency of security measures and the need for increased sensitization of road users in order to avoid such accidents in the future.