Webcams will help the German police to catch drivers blocking emergency corridors

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North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg are testing new technology as part of their annual pilot projects. Thanks to small video recorders, violations will be documented, and drivers will be more effectively prosecuted for punishable behavior.

Police in North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg presented last Wednesday a new technology to help identify and punish the drivers who block the emergency corridors – informs German transport portal verkehrsrundschau.de.

High-resolution cameras are placed on the windshield inside the police car (pictured). As part of the pilot project, devices were installed in 50 vehicles in North Rhine-Westphalia and Baden-Württemberg lands. Cameras will document violations related to the emergency corridor.

Too many drivers are still blocking the corridor creating a threat to life” – stated Herbert Reul, Minister of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia, during the presentation.

Only this year more than 50 violations related to the emergency corridor have been registered in this land.

Anyone who interferes with our emergency services, the police, and the fire brigade at a time when every second counts, is extremely ruthless – added Thomas Strobl, head of the Baden-Württemberg State Department.

Source: YouTube/ASFINAG

Higher fines for blocking the emergency corridor

At the end of 2017, the amount of fines for blocking or not failing to pull over to create an emergency corridor has clearly increased in Germany. Earlier, the fines catalog provided for a criminal offense of only 20 euros.

Currently, for the same offense is punishable by 200 to 320 euros ticket depending on the consequences:

– The failure to create a corridor in Germany is punishable by a fine of 200 euros and 2 penalty points.

– For failure to create a corridor that will lead to blocking the emergency services vehicle, you should expect a 240 euro fine, 2 penalty points and a driving ban for 1 month.

– For failure to establish an emergency corridor leading to a life or health threat, eg a firefighter or an injured party, face 280 euro of the ticket, 2 penalty points and a driving ban for 1 month.

A 320 euro fine, 2 penalty points and a driving ban for 1 month are set for failure to establish a rescue corridor leading to property damage.

The possible criminal consequences of non-compliance remain unchanged. It is punishable by imprisonment up to one year for deliberate obstruction of assistance (§ 323c of the German Criminal Code – StGB). From 30 May 2017, this article in StGB also includes blocking the rescue corridor.

Photo: Twitter.com/IM_NRW

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