Germany: Bundesrat has decided to record THC levels in official accident statistics

New law passed: THC levels in serious traffic accidents will be statistically recorded in future

2026-09-25 | To better monitor road safety following the partial legalization of cannabis, the Bundesrat has decided to record THC levels in official accident statistics, reports the Märkische Oderzeitung. Analytically analogous to alcohol consumption, authorities will in future document the degree of cannabis influence determined by police in serious accidents involving property damage or personal injury. In addition to active-substance concentrations, sociodemographic data such as age, sex and driving experience will also be included in the survey.

Source: German Cannabis Business Association

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Germany’s Bundesrat approved a new law amending the Road Traffic Accident Statistics Act (Straßenverkehrsunfallstatistikgesetz – StVUnfStatG). The amendment officially mandates recording THC impairment levels in national traffic accident statistics. [1, 2]

This decision, finalizing a draft originating from the Federal Ministry of Transport, is a direct consequence of Germany’s partial legalization of cannabis in April 2024 and the establishment of a legal driving limit of 3.5 ng/ml of THC serum in August 2024. [1, 2, 3]

Key Details of the Regulation

• What is being tracked: Police will record the “degree of cannabis influence” (THC concentration levels) from blood samples gathered during accident responses. This matches how alcohol-impairment levels are already logged. [1, 2, 3, 4]
• Scope of accidents: The data collection applies specifically to serious incidents—accidents resulting in injury or death, or those causing significant property damage. [1, 2]
• Metadata integration: The recorded THC levels will be combined with existing metrics in the national database, including the driver’s age, gender, vehicle type, and how long they have held their license. [1]
• The Core Objective: The primary goal is to improve road safety research and scientific evaluation. The systematically tracked data will help researchers analyze how legalization impacts road traffic, specifically focusing on high-risk groups like young drivers and beginners. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Driving Laws and Penalties

For context on how these statistics operate alongside German traffic laws:

• The Limit: The default legal threshold is 3.5 ng of THC per ml of blood serum. Going over this limit carries a €500 fine, a one-month driving ban, and two penalty points.
• Mixed Consumption: Combining cannabis with any amount of alcohol raises the standard penalty to a €1,000 fine.
• Zero-Tolerance Groups: A strict zero-tolerance policy remains for drivers under the age of 21 and those still within their two-year probationary license period. [1, 2]

Documented Sources and Coverage

• Comprehensive breakdowns of the decision and its legal mechanisms are detailed in the RTL News Report and TRT Deutsch Coverage.
• A deeper look into European drug-driving comparisons and the legal timeline can be viewed via the European Road Safety Council (ETSC).
• Official policy targets and early legal framework structures can be verified in the federal Bundesrat Print Document 268/26. [1, 2, 3, 4]

If you would like, I can look into how German police conduct field testing for THC, the three-year evaluation timeline built into the cannabis law, or how these traffic safety statistics compare to other European countries. Let me know how you’d like to proceed!