Many people use their bike or pedelec to cycle around the district. Unfortunately, the risk of becoming a victim of a traffic accident on a bike ride, for example, is very high. The figures from last year speak for themselves. In 2022, the police in the Steinfurt district recorded more than 1000 road accidents involving cyclists and pedelec riders - significantly more than in the previous year. In these accidents, 8 people lost their lives and more than 800 were slightly or seriously injured.
Accidents involving cyclists under the influence of alcohol
In addition to weekend excursions, many people in the Steinfurt district also use their bikes or pedelecs to go to parties or celebrations, for example. Alcohol is often involved and special care is required. Alcohol disinhibits you and your reaction time decreases noticeably. This significantly increases the risk of being involved in an accident.
Accidents involving cyclists and alcohol also increased significantly last year. There were 56 accidents - 15 people were seriously injured and 41 were slightly injured.
Drivers' licenses can be revoked from as low as 0.3 per mille
Therefore, always pay attention: Even with an alcohol level of 0.3 per mille, cyclists can be liable to prosecution if they also show signs of alcohol-related impairment. Such impairment symptoms include, for example, driving in serpentine lines, falling or having balance problems or causing an accident due to alcohol. You are then considered relatively unfit to drive. Above this limit, the driving license can be revoked by the road traffic authority.
Above 1.6 per mille, cyclists commit a criminal offence
Anyone who rides a bike with a blood alcohol concentration of 1.6 per mille or more is absolutely unfit to drive. This is a criminal offense.
In addition, the driving license for motor vehicles is revoked from 1.6 per mille. This means that the driver's license must be surrendered. The cyclist will also have to pay a fine (usually one month's salary) plus the costs of a possible medical-psychological examination. This can quickly add up to several thousand euros.
If alcohol is involved, leave the bike behind
Therefore, always remember: If you get on your bike while drunk, you are putting yourself and other road users at risk. The consequences can often be much more expensive than the cost of a cab to get you home safely.
In order to prevent accidents, the police in the district of Steinfurt will be carrying out more checks on cyclists and pedal cyclists at upcoming festivities such as tent festivals, shooting festivals and town festivals.