Tragedy in Tulln: 75-year-old dies in unbraked accident in garage

Tragedy in Tulln: 75-year-old dies in unbraked accident in garage

On April 11, 2025, a tragic traffic accident occurred in a parking garage in Tulln, Lower Austria at around 11:15 a.m. An 82-year-old man from the Tulln district drove his vehicle into the underground car park, accompanied by his 75-year-old wife in the passenger seat and his 51-year-old daughter in the back seat. After entering the garage, the driver turned right but lost control of the car. As a result, the vehicle accelerated without braking for a distance of around 20 meters and crashed into a concrete wall, reports 5min.at.

The effects of the accident were devastating: the 75-year-old passenger suffered serious injuries and died at the scene of the accident. The driver and daughter were taken to Tulln University Hospital with unspecified injuries.

Traffic accidents in Austria: numbers and trends

The tragic incident falls into a context that is characterized by current statistics on traffic accidents in Austria. According to data from Statistics Austria Road traffic accidents with personal injuries are continuously recorded. These accidents mainly take place on public transport roads and the data is recorded electronically by police authorities. The aim of this recording is to continuously monitor accident events in order to provide a reliable basis for accident research and prevention.

In 2024, Austria recorded a total of 349 traffic deaths, a decrease of 13.2% compared to the previous year. This is the second lowest number of road deaths since 1950. In 2021 the number was 362 and in 2022 it was 370. Interior Minister Gerhard Karner and the General Director of Public Security, Franz Ruf, emphasize the importance of the work of the police and traffic controls to improve safety on the roads, such as bmi.gv.at reported.

Main causes of accidents and traffic involvement

Accident statistics show that the main causes of traffic accidents are often carelessness or distraction (33.1%), followed by improper driving speed (23.6%) and priority violations (13.5%). The traffic fatalities in 2024 involved 147 car occupants and 82 motorcyclists. The number of registered vehicles in Austria rose from 2.5 million in 1972 to 7.3 million in 2024, despite falling road deaths in recent years.

Yesterday's incident in Tulln highlights the ongoing dangers in road traffic and the tragedy that such sudden accidents can bring. The authorities are therefore calling for increased awareness among drivers in order to avoid future accidents.