German border controls have caused 250% increase in accidents: report
Germany's border controls have led to a dramatic increase in traffic accidents on Dutch highways, with new figures showing a 250% rise in crashes since the checks were introduced in September 2024.
According to data obtained from Rijkswaterstaat (the Dutch Directorate-General for Public Works and Water Management), the biggest increases have been recorded on the A12 and A1 highways leading to the German border. The border checks regularly create long traffic jams, and many drivers reportedly fail to react in time when they suddenly encounter stationary traffic, resulting in rear-end collisions several times each week. On the A12, the number of accidents rose from 22 in 2023 to 82 last year, while crashes on the A1 increased from 8 to 42 during the same period.
The growing safety concerns have been reinforced by several serious accidents. Last week, three people were hospitalized after a passenger car, two trucks, and a delivery van collided on the A12 near the German border. Earlier this year, a 66-year-old man lost his life in a seven-vehicle crash on the same stretch of road, an incident that intensified criticism of the border controls from Dutch officials.
Several local leaders in the Netherlands have urged Germany to reconsider the policy. Hubert Bruls, the mayor of Nijmegen, and Mark Boumans, the mayor of Doetinchem, argue that the checkpoints are creating dangerous traffic conditions while offering limited benefits. They have called on Berlin to replace fixed border checks with alternative enforcement methods that would reduce congestion and improve road safety.
The Dutch Ministry of Asylum and Migration has acknowledged that the increased traffic risks are undesirable and confirmed it has raised the issue with German authorities. However, Germany has so far indicated it intends to maintain the border controls as part of its migration policy, despite growing criticism from neighboring countries, local officials, and the European Commission over their safety, economic, and legal implications.