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Shocking accident in Rankweil: car driver falls asleep at the wheel!
Two cars collide in Rankweil due to microsleep. Injured people and extensive rescue efforts. Cause of accident and prevention.
Shocking accident in Rankweil: car driver falls asleep at the wheel!
On May 20, 2025, at around 4:35 p.m., a serious traffic accident occurred on Schweizer Straße (L52) in Rankweil, approximately at road kilometer 5.4. Loud vol.at Two cars collided, resulting in a number of injuries. The accident was caused by the driver of the car falling asleep, which caused her to drift into the oncoming lane. Her six-year-old son, who was in the back seat, was also injured.
The driver of the oncoming vehicle was also affected. All injured people were given initial care on site and then transported to the LKH Feldkirch. The nature and severity of the injuries are currently undetermined. A breathalyzer test revealed no signs of intoxication for either driver.
Serious property damage and massive rescue efforts
The two vehicles were seriously damaged in the collision. The driver's car was rotated 180 degrees, while the other vehicle was thrown off the road and hit a fence. To secure the accident site and carry out the clean-up work, 25 emergency services from the Rankweil fire department and the Hirschmann company fire department with six vehicles were deployed. In addition, three ambulances with emergency doctors and two police patrols were sent to the scene of the accident. The clean-up work took several hours and significantly affected traffic on the L52.
According to that ORF Vorarlberg The incident deals with a serious issue: fatigue and microsleep at the wheel. Statistics show that accidents caused by tired drivers often have serious consequences. In 2021, for example, 1,507 accidents with personal injury that were caused by fatigue were documented in Germany. However, experts estimate the number of unreported accidents due to fatigue to be significantly higher.
The dangers of drowsy driving
The ADAC points out that the ability to react after 17 hours without sleep is equivalent to that of a driver with 0.5 per mille of alcohol. The above-mentioned warning signs of fatigue include burning eyes and difficulty concentrating. In recent years, various measures have been taken to prevent fatigue-related accidents, including fatigue warning systems in new cars that alert the driver to signs of fatigue.
The current accident report is seen all the more as a wake-up call. The importance of regular breaks and rested driving skills should be taken seriously by both drivers and passengers in order to avoid tragic incidents like the one on Schweizer Straße in Rankweil.