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German Traffic Experts Back 1.1‰ Cyclist Alcohol Limit and Nationwide Phone-Use Crackdown

The nonbinding Goslar proposals often guide lawmakers, with backing from the police union.

Overview

  • The Verkehrsgerichtstag recommends an administrative offense for cyclists at 1.1‰ blood alcohol, carrying a €250 fine and one point in the driver fitness register.
  • Repeat breaches should lead to driving licence revocation and a mandatory medical‑psychological assessment under the experts’ plan.
  • A uniform federal legal basis is urged for automated enforcement of mobile‑phone use while driving, expanding systems currently authorized only in Rhineland‑Palatinate.
  • Penalties for drivers using phones should increase to two points with significantly higher fines, discussed in the €250 to €750 range, while cyclists would also receive one point.
  • The package would tighten today’s practice that leaves cycling up to roughly 1.6‰ unpunished absent impairment, with experts also floating stricter limits for pedelecs.