From the United States Diplomatic Mission to Germany (who advise US servicemen):

"Driving in Germany can be both an exhilarating and frustrating experience. In a country renowned for its high performance cars, high speed Autobahns, and frustrated drivers, Germany hosts more traffic volume than any nation in Europe and, as a result, suffers the Continent's highest injury-accident rate."

The above quote is consistent with my experiences driving in Germany over a period of years. Few drivers in Europe are as aggressive on the road as German drivers, with the possible exception of the Dutch. Traffic volume on Germany's autobahns can be daunting, especially on weekends, and during the morning and early evening rush hours. A better driving experience can therefore be had by avoiding driving at those times, and by never sitting in the left-hand lane and slowing down anyone coming up behind you. Over three years' time I personally came across something like six accidents on Germany's autobahns that involved fatalities. Two of those accidents were mass car wrecks that occurred just before I came on site (both mass accidents also occurred in foggy and rainy weather). My advice is to be especially careful in rainy or low-visibility weather (where you will have far less reaction time), and always to be on the look-out for accidents up ahead. As you already know, driving on the autobahn is not like driving on I-80 through Nebraska -- it's much more challenging, there's a lot more traffic, there's a lot more going on around you, and other drivers probably pose the biggest single risk to your safety. Be careful driving on the autobahn, have fun, and watch out for other drivers.