Association of German Associations for the Improvement of Road Safety road traffic and environmental protection organizations called on the government in Berlin to introduce speed limits on the country's highways, DPA reported, quoted by BTA.
Part of the group of non-governmental organizations insists that the maximum permitted speed for traffic on the highways in Germany should be 100 km/h, while others of its representatives insist on 130 km/h.
There are currently no speed limits on German highways, except for sections marked with special signs, Deutsche Welle said.
One of the organizations participating in the association - "Environmental Action Germany" (Environmental Action Germany - DUH), insists on introducing speed limits of up to 80 km/h outside built-up areas and up to 30 km/h in built-up areas.
The head of the environmental group Jürgen Resch points out that the implementation of measures to limit the maximum speed on roads and highways would help reduce harmful carbon dioxide emissions by 11 million tons a year. The idea behind this proposal is that cars with internal combustion engines emit relatively less carbon dioxide when traveling at lower speeds, experts say.
The upper house of the German parliament - the Bundesrat - is today discussing amendments to the national road traffic law. One proposal is for German authorities to be able to introduce speed limits of 30 km/h in urban areas where there is a greater risk of serious road traffic accidents. Such are, for example, the streets around kindergartens, schools or hospitals.