May, 1999

For years, Germany's motorways have not imposed any speed limits.  Now, the country's environmental agency is advocating speed limits in the hope that they will reduce emissions from automobiles.

Germany has become well known for its lack of speed limits.  The lack of speed limits has become an institution throughout the country, and changing it could prove difficult.

Map of Germany.  Image Credit: CIA.

The main pollutants that environmental officials are worried about are carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx). 

If the new proposal is approved, it will be the first time that any European country has decided to impose a speed limit for the sake of decreasing pollution emissions.  It would also be among the lowest motorway speed limits in place in any European country.

There are some concerns that the policy would be unpopular.  In a 1996 poll, only one-fourth of Germans supported a 120 km/hr (75 mph) speed limit.

The environmental agency did a study to measure what the results of the new policy would be.  They found that by creating a national speed limit of 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles an hour), they could eliminate 19% of CO₂ emissions and one-third of NOx emissions.

Other harmful substances would likely be reduced as well.  Reductions in carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons are expected.  In addition to these benefits, the motorways would become less noisy and less land would have to be used.