Sacrilege! Could Germany’s famous high-speed Autobahn roadways get a 75mph speed limit?

By Marcus Amick Published May 10, 2013

Autobahn — Image used with permission by copyright holder

If you’ve ever dreamed of hitting Germany’s iconic Autobahn, known for its stretches of road where speed limits are left entirely up to the driver, than you might want to act quick.

According to Left Lanes News, two political parties have teamed up to push for a 120 km/h (75 mph) speed limit on the famous highway. Currently, drivers looking to test their vehicle’s capabilities can easily double up that number. The Green Party says the move would help to reduce greenhouse gases while the Social Democratic Party (SPD) insists that the measure will save lives.

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As expected, the idea has set off a whirlwind of debate in Europe with a number of motorists represented by ADAC, Europe’s largest automotive association, fighting the measure.

However, some experts contend that lowering the speed limit on the Autobahn could make the road a lot safer.

“Imagine that a car driving at 75 mph on a two-lane stretch of the Autobahn decides to pass a truck doing 50 mph,” explains Siegfried Brockmann, the spokesman for the Insurer’s Accident Research (UDV) group, as reported by Left Lane. “What happens when another car arrives around a bend at 111 mph. Will he slow down in time, or will he rear-end the car passing the truck?”

Two previous attempts by the Social Democratic Party to impose a speed limit on the Autobahn in 2012 and in 2007 both failed because the current government, led by Chancellor Angela Merkel, is firmly against the idea, according to the report.

However, with Merkel’s term up at the end of the year, the ultimate fate of the Autobahn will lie in the hands of voters when Germans head to the polls on September 22, 2013.

Take another spin on the infamous Autobahn:

Former Digital Trends Contributor

Marcus Amick has been writing about the world of cars for more than ten years and has covered everything from new automobiles…

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