Accidents on the highway: prison for gazers and blockers?
Will motorists who do not form a rescue lane or slow down in an accident to gawk, soon go to jail? After ever new cases in which rescue workers did not arrive in time for the accident, Federal Transport Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) wants to go even harder.
At the accident site on Highway 9, where 18 people burned in a coach at the beginning of the week, Dobrindt told the "Bild" newspaper: "Police and rescue teams are repeatedly hampered in their missions, and those who do so must face severe penalties. We will therefore tighten the planned increase in fines even more: anyone who deliberately blocks the escape route and thus prevents rescue workers from being deployed can even be punished with up to one year's imprisonment. "
Dobrindt wants to increase the penalties significantly. Instead of 20 euros for a non-formed Rettungsgasse there should be a fine of 200 euros and two points in Flensburg. If rescue workers are hindered or endangered, it can be even more expensive - and lead to a prison sentence in the worst case scenario.
