Sad record: 77-year-old cyclists died after a motorcycle accident

Sad record: 77-year-old cyclists died after a motorcycle accident

In Wiefelstede, a tragic accident occurred on Wednesday that cost the life of a 77-year-old cyclist from Oldenburg. The incident happened at around 4:20 p.m. on the Heidkamper Landstrasse when the cyclist was traveling on the left bike path with a friend and wanted to cross the street at the confluence with high camp. He overlooked a motorcycle that was driven by a 16-year-old Wiefelsteder. Both plunged to the ground in the side collision. The young person suffered minor injuries while the cyclist was seriously injured and later succumbed to his injuries in the Oldenburg Evangelical Hospital. The property damage to the vehicles is estimated at around 2,000 euros. The Heidkamper Landstrasse was closed for an hour during the accident, which significantly impaired the flow of traffic. This is not the first traffic accident of this kind in the region, which further increases the local security concerns.

The media repeatedly report on similar incidents. On Tuesday, June 12, 2025, a 55-year-old motorcyclist and a 65-year-old driver were involved in a serious collision in Wiefelstede. The driver had overlooked the motorcyclist when turning into the Nutteler Weg, which led to a violent accident. The motorcyclist was taken to the hospital with serious injuries, while both vehicles were so badly damaged that they were no longer ready to drive. Towing companies were on site to remove the vehicles and Rasteder Straße was briefly closed during the rescue work. Such accidents are not only a tragedy for those involved, they also take a light on the dangers in road traffic and the need for measures to increase security.

not uncommon: traffic accidents in Europe

The problem of traffic accidents is not just a local topic. Every year, thousands of people in the EU lose their lives or suffer serious injuries from traffic accidents. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of traffic fatalities in Europe dropped by 36 percent, but the numbers remain alarming. In 2019, 22,800 people died on Europe's streets, a number that could be easily reduced thanks to the declines during the pandemic. Nevertheless, an infographic of the European Parliament shows that there is a record low in the traffic fatalities in 18 EU member states, although the security situation varies very different depending on the country. Sweden, for example, has the safest roads in the EU with 18 traffic fatalities per million inhabitants, while Romania has the highest rate with 85 traffic fatalities per million inhabitants. This clearly illustrates the challenges that need to be managed to make the streets safer for all road users.

The horror numbers are a strong argument for creating more awareness in road traffic, especially for weaker road users such as cyclists and motorcyclists. The age group of over 65-year-olds accounts for 28 percent of the racing dead, which underlines the need for action in this regard. This is an awakening appeal to all road users to exercise more attention and consideration in road traffic.

The tragedies that take place on our streets should all make us think. Because security approaches us all - whether cyclists, motorcyclists or drivers.