Naechtliche Freizeitunfaelle junger Fahrer stellen einen besonderen Problembereich dar. Gemessen an ihrem Anteil an der Bevoelkerung sind junge Fahrer im Alter von 18 bis 24 Jahren ueberdurchschnittlich haeufig am Unfallgeschehen beteiligt. Vor diesem Hintergrund wurde die Studie "Regionalstruktur naechtlicher Freizeitunfaelle junger Fahrer" der Jahre 1992/93 aktualisiert. Dazu wurden die Daten der amtlichen Strassenverkehrsunfallstatistik der Jahre 1997 und 1998 untersucht. Als junge Fahrer bei naechtlichen Freizeitunfaellen werden alle 18-24-jaehrigen Fahrer und Fahrerinnen von Pkw und Motorraedern bezeichnet, die an Unfaellen mit Personenschaden in der Zeit von 20 Uhr abends bis 3.59 Uhr morgens beziehungsweise am Wochenende (Samstag, Sonn- und Feiertag) bis 5.59 Uhr morgens beteiligt waren. Insgesamt waren in den Jahren 1997 und 1998 ueber 60.000 junge Fahrer an naechtlichen Unfaellen mit Personenschaden beteiligt, das sind 24 Prozent aller jungen Unfallbeteiligten. Der typische unfallbeteiligte junge Fahrer ist ein Mann, der ueberdurchschnittlich haeufig mit "nicht angepasster Geschwindigkeit" unterwegs ist oder unter "Alkoholeinfluss" steht. Die Unfallbeteiligung junger Fahrer ist regional sehr unterschiedlich. Fuer alle 439 Stadt- und Landkreise Deutschlands wurden kreisbezogene Kenngroessen wie zum Beispiel Unfallbeteiligung, Alkoholeinfluss und Risiko junger Fahrer berechnet und die Ergebnisse kartografisch dargestellt. Die Verteilung im Bundesgebiet zeigt deutliche Zusammenhaenge mit der Siedlungsstruktur. Anhand der Bevoelkerungs- und Flaechendaten der Stadt- und Landkreise wurden 6 Kreisstrukturtypen gebildet, die unterschiedliche Verdichtungsstufen beschreiben. Obwohl die Anzahl naechtlicher Freizeitunfaelle in den Ballungsraeumen sehr hoch ist, sind junge Fahrer und ihre Mitfahrer in laendlichen Gebieten am staerksten gefaehrdet. Bericht zum Forschungsprojekt 00420 der Bundesanstalt fuer Strassenwesen. Titel in Englisch: Regional structure of nocturnal leisure time accidents involving young drivers during the years 1997 and 1998. English abstract: Night accidents involving young drivers represent a particular problem area. In relation to their percentage of the population young drivers in the age group between 18 and 24 are involved in accidents with an above average frequency. With this background the Federal Ministry for Traffic, Construction and Housing (BMVBW) requested the Federal Highway Research Institute (BASt) to update the study performed on the "Regional structure of nocturnal accidents involving young drivers" from the years 1992/93. The data from the official traffic accident statistics for the years 1997 and 1998 were studied. Young drivers involved in nocturnal leisure time accidents were defined to be all 18-24 year old male and female drivers of passenger cars and motorcycles, who were involved in a traffic accident in which personal injuries were suffered during the time from 8 p.m. in the evening and 3:59 a.m. in the morning or on weekends (Saturdays, Sundays and holidays) until 5:59 a.m. in the morning. All totalled over 60,000 young drivers were involved in nocturnal accidents in which personal injuries were suffered during the years 1997 and 1998; this amounts to 24% of all young drivers involved in accidents. Every third nocturnal leisure time accident involving a young driver is a solitary accident. Very frequently the young drivers lose control of the vehicle, without any contribution by other traffic. To an above average extent a typical young driver involved in such an accident is a male, who is "speeding" or "driving under the influence of alcohol". Although in terms of absolute figures the population-related risk of being involved in an accident has decreased for young drivers during the past few years, in comparison to older drivers it has increased by 15% to 6.3 times as high since 1992/93. This increase is primarily the result of the decrease in the accidents involving 24-34 year olds. Accidents involving young drivers differ highly according to region. Area-related values such as accidents involving young drivers, influence of alcohol and risk for young drivers were calculated for all 439 city and county areas in Germany and the results entered in a map. The distribution in the area of the Federal Republic of Germany indicates clear relationships to the residential structure. On the basis of the population and area data six types of county structures were established which show different stages of population density (extremely dense urban areas ... low density rural areas). Although the number of nocturnal leisure time accidents in the congested metropolitan areas is very high, young drivers and their passengers in rural areas are endangered to the greatest extent. Fortunately nocturnal leisure time accidents involving young drivers have decreased during the past few years. In comparison to night accidents involving older people, however, the significance of the problem area "Young Drivers at Night" has increased. (A)
Abstract