For a lot of reasons that is a significant difference (e.g., despite 70mph average, there are also many drivers going the speed limit and that is a speed differential of 10mph or 18mph, nearly twice as much) but I'm not sure it matters at all as far as Germany vs US automotive safety.
I present this more as a interesting anecdote than a real argument but the fatality rate on the roads in Germany (where the autobhans have no enforced speed limit and seeing someone drive at 150mph is not uncommon) is considerably lower than in the US.
The reason this isn't a particularly great comparison is that driver training, car design and even the German attitude to driving are all built around the potential for high speeds.
I think the key difference is that Germany doesn't have an excessive or unusual number of traffic deaths[1]. I personally (as a German) do not support a speed limit and worry that there could be second order effects that they don't keep in mind. But I don't hold a strong opinion as I drive 3-5 times a year in Germany.
Last time I checked, the US was quite far behind Germany in terms of road safety. Having driven in both (and far more dangerous ones), I'd say that there's a noticeable, but not outrageous difference. It largely depends on the state though.
More likely it's the lower number of driving-hours per-person. The longer you drive, the greater the odds that something can go wrong. Germany, like most of Europe, has dense old urban cities and good transit infrastructure compared to American suburban sprawl. That means the average German doesn't spend as much time behind the wheel, if at all.
I wouldn't be surprised if Germany is substantially more dangerous per-driving-kilometer than the USA, but with far fewer driving-kms per person.
Also, remember that in many locations the "speed limit" isnt' really the defining thing that controls how drivers handle the road - many dense twisty urban environments are tight-enough to navigate that drivers instinctively take it slow and never even approach the speed limit. This tremendously reduces the odds of a fatality, although it does make minor scrapes pretty common.
It's a lot harder to get a license in Germany than in the US, and there's more of an expectation that you keep your vehicle in good repair. I could argue that the speed limit on the Autobahn is a result of selecting for more conscientious and capable drivers rather than proof that higher speeds are safe in general.
Interesting to see Germany with 4.9 below the US with 7.6. In Germany, long stretches of quite a few Autobahns do not have a speed-limit at all. There are, of course, other differences between driving in the US and in Germany.
source: I have been driving in both countries for more than 8 years; moved to the US little more than 8 years ago.
This is very true. If you want to see how much difference this makes firsthand, go to Germany and drive on the autobahn. No one hangs out in the passing lane. No one tailgates. No one cuts anyone else off. Everyone goes the speed they're comfortable with.
I felt so much safer and more relaxed driving 110 mph there than I do going 65 on an American highway.
I guess he's referring to the fact that there are no actual speed limits on "Autobahnen" in Germany, there's a recommendation of ~80mph (130km/h), but itn't a rarity to see people going over 120mph...
To sum up: people drive faster here.
And from what I've heard, it's way harder to get a driving license in Germany (and Europe in general) than in the US.
There are accidents, but fatality on autobahn about 40% lower than U.S highway.
With that said, I wouldn't really want to do sustained high speed driving anyway due to fuel economy. Going from 100kmh to 180kmh, fuel economy drops by half.
I agree with all of this. Driving in the US is very unpredictable-- from the road surface to the drivers. In Germany, the road surface is great, and the flow of traffic is easy to understand. Sure, sometimes someone will flash their lights at you because you're only doing 130 in the passing lane, but you just pull over and they go by and everything's fine.
That said, if you do have an accident at those speeds... The one wreck I saw looked like a tin can had met a hydraulic press.
Well wouldn't better driver's ed solve most of those issues? A tiered license system seems like an overly complex solution.
I've driven in both Germany and the US (DC area, while on holiday), and found US driving a lot more relaxed. There are some odd rules here and there, but in general it was less unpleasant. Driving on the Autobahn can be quite stressful when you have a few people who want to drive really fast. Those kinds of speed differences reduce road capacity significantly. I'm not saying these people are necessarily unqualified to drive at such speeds, they may be the best drivers in the world, but everyone would reach their destination sooner if those folks were to stick to 130-140km/h.
That said, the posted speed limits in the US are definitely on the low side. The same roads would have a higher speed limit in Germany.
It is absolutely common to drive that fast on German roads. With less accidents/mile than America. It needs good driver education, good roads and good cars, and then it's fine.
The "well they drive fast in Germany every day" argument doesn't hold water either.
1) Even on the parts of the autobahn with unrestricted speeds, 130km is still the recommended upper limit, and you're more liable in a collision if you go faster than that.
2) Many people in Germany don't agree with unrestricted speeds, and politicians have compared it to gun law debates in the US.
3) Germany has higher than average deaths per 1000 km driven (for an EU country).
This is actually incorrect. When you ask a German how far away another city is, their first question will be: "What kind of car do you drive?"
The biggest difference is that in Germany, the speeds are more sustained. In the US, cars generally drive in whatever lane they feel like, so your speed is constantly changing. So even a difference of 180 vs 140 will be significant. (and it could easily be 200 instead of 120).
Germany is much more disciplined than the US about being in the right lane and only overtaking on the left. Most of the US has the same rules in theory, but people following the rules less strictly combined with the low speed limits means they don't get the clearly separated speeds for each lane you get on a German Autobahn.
The flaw in logic here is to assume that Germany and the US are otherwise identical in policy. But of course that's not remotely true. Germany roads are safer because
- Drivers are required to obtain an extensive education at a licensed driving school and pass a rigorous test before being allowed to drive.
- Driving rules such as "no passing on the right" are strictly enforced in Germany, creating a more predictable (and thus safer) driving environment. There is absolutely no way something like the following could be achieved in the US due to Americans' stubbornness and lack of driving discipline:
- German roads are designed to naturally encourage people to make good decisions by the use of roundabouts, narrower lanes (which naturally make people slow down and be more careful) and many similar "vision zero" initiatives.
- German roads are consistently maintained.
- When you're not on the autobahn, speed limits are generally lower than in the US and are more strictly enforced.
Not to say that Germany is perfect, but they are doing much more than the US to ensure road safety and are doing so more consistently.
It's really not that bad. Keep in mind that you typically will only go this slow for the last 15-60s of your drive. Before that you will likely go faster than on a typical drive in the US. European speed limits and especially German ones have a lot more range then US speed limits. To be that makes for a more deliberate and fun driving experience. It also turns out to be safer if you look at fatalities per mile traveled, even including the Autobahn which seems to be unfathomable to most Americans.
I'm not sure if you're just trolling here, but will address some issues.
The assumption that a set maximum speed is the safest for all drivers is erroneous. There are many factors at play and a proper safe speed depends in part on the driver, the driving conditions, and the car they are driving (and much more).
Unless you are in very heavy traffic, forcing people to go slow or worse to pass you on the right is causing a much larger safety issue.
If we are interested in improving safety imo we should be focused on things like vastly improving driver education and requiring any driver to show knowledge, understanding and skills related to driving - including and especially on high speed highways. In California, you can get a license without ever actually driving on a highway (or "freeway") - which is absurd.
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