Tobias Ochsenbein, Gianna Blum and Rebecca Spring
To date, anyone who recklessly rushes and is caught has received at least one year’s suspended prison sentence. In the future, this should no longer happen automatically: on Tuesday, the Council of State unanimously disarmed the so-called speeding article on several points.
Automatism has long been a thorn in the side of critics. “Of course, speeders will also be punished in the future!” SVP National Councilor Thomas Hurter (58) defends this decision. Thanks to the new regulation, judges would, above all, have freedom as to how severe the punishment should be – emphasizes Blick.
On the other hand, transport politician SP Gabriela Suter (49) is disappointed. The Aargau National Councilor is convinced that heavy fines would have a preventive effect on speeders so far. “I find it incomprehensible to loosen up a quick article again.”
SP Suter: “The relaxation of Raser’s law is incomprehensible” (02:34)
Fewer deaths, same number of accidents
In fact, the Via Sicura road package has only been in force for almost ten years. But did that really make the streets safer? The accident statistics of the Federal Road Administration (Astra) show that the total number of accidents since the introduction of the system in 2013 has remained almost constant at an average of 21,500. However, there has been a shift from serious to minor accidents. However, the number of serious accidents has increased slightly in the past two years.
The number of deaths has declined each year. In 2019, fewer than 200 people were killed on the roads for the first time, but in the next two years the number rose again to over 200. In this respect, traffic is likely to have become somewhat safer. Apparently Via sicura was not able to reduce the number of accidents.
“The system worked”
Even Willi Wismer, president of the Road Cross Foundation, has difficulty summarizing after nearly ten years. “I think ultimately it’s the sum of all parts that makes Via Sicura a good thing,” he says. Following the planned mitigation, Wismer is again concerned about more accidents. “Via sicura is preventative, the system works well today,” he says. And: According to a survey, nearly 70 percent of the population supports the fast product.
Via Sicura’s balance sheet is good, but Transport Minister Simonetta Sommaruga (62) found it also in the spring. According to an evaluation, at least 100 serious road accidents could have been prevented between 2013 and 2015. Parliament will now snarl at Sommaruga to review the law.