Road safety

The Federal Highway Research Institute has been conducting annual analyses of accident statistics for motor caravans as well as passenger car-caravan combinations since 1997. These analyses have shown year in and year out that accident rates for recreational vehicles are extremely low, including when adjusted for the numbers of vehicles in use. Hence, leisure vehicles count as one of the safest types of vehicles on the road in Germany today.

Each traffic death is one death too many. In 2007 five motor caravan passengers and three passengers in passenger car-caravan combinations were killed in traffic accidents. Adjusted for the numbers of vehicles in use, this translates into the following traffic accident fatality rates per 100,00 vehicles: 5.7 for car passengers; 1.5 for motor caravan passengers; and 0.5 for vehicle-trailer combinations. These statistics do not change significantly even if the relatively low mileage clocked by motor caravan and passenger car-caravan combinations is taken into account.

As a signatory to the European Road Safety Charter, the CIVD participates in safety events, publishes helpful hints for recreational vehicle users, and distributes information concerning the safe handling of caravans and motor caravans.