Tragic riding accident on Rügen: tractor driver is on trial!

Tragic riding accident on Rügen: tractor driver is on trial!

A tragic incident on the island of Rügen is now concerned with the judiciary: on September 1, 2025, the trial against a 26-year-old tractor driver, negligent killing and ruthless overtaking will be accused. The Bergen district court on Rügen will deal with the fatal accident, which occurred in August 2024 when the driver overtook a rider group and overrun a 14-year-old rider, who unfortunately died of the scene of the accident after falling from the horse. The exact circumstances of the incident are fighting for the Enlightenment, while the public prosecutor Stralsund raises the indictment that the man had grossly acted without traffic without complying with the necessary distance. [NDR] (https://www.ndr.de/nachrichten/mecklenburg-vorpommern/artikelvorlage-mv ,reitkunfunfall-100.html) reports of a similar case in Bubkevitz, in which a young rider also died.

How did this drama come about? The rider, who was traveling with a group, fell from the horse, which had frightened by the tractor passing by. The tractor driver could no longer avoid and roll over the girl with the agricultural device attached to his tractor. According to reports of the TAG24, it is clear that the road space was not sufficient to overtake safely. The grief for the girl is noticeable in the region, as is the outrage about the circumstances that led to this severe misfortune. The driver promptly lost his driving license in anticipation of the process, which also raises the question of traffic safety and the behavior of commercial vehicles on country roads.

serious allegations and the legal consequences

According to the public prosecutors' allegations, the question arises which penalties could come to the tractor driver if he is found guilty. The negligent killing, as defined in the German Criminal Code (Section 222 of the Criminal Code), could be punished with a fine or imprisonment of up to five years. In addition to the possible punishments, the court can also impose measures such as driving bans. Such cases that arise from disregard for traffic rules show how important the responsibility of drivers in road traffic is. In 2020, according to statistics, 648 people were punished in Germany for negligent killing in road traffic, a number that illustrates that the dangers in traffic should not be underestimated. [Anwal.de] (https://www.anwalt.de/rechtstipps/fahrlaessige-toetung-bei-verfaellen-welche-strafe-doht-fuer-Verkehrrecht- und- Strafrecht-228018.html)

On September 11, 2025, the second day of the trial is scheduled, on which the case is to be further processed. The investigation and public attention to such tragedies show how important it is to drive safely and take into account - especially in the vicinity of animals and riding groups.

In this sad matter, it is only to hope that clear teachings will be drawn from the incident, so that similar tragedies can be avoided in the future. The safety in road traffic is the responsibility of everyone, especially those who are traveling with motorized vehicles.