Fatal motorcycle accident in Metnitztal: 43-year-old dies tragically!

Fatal motorcycle accident in Metnitztal: 43-year-old dies tragically!

On Friday, June 13, 2025, a tragic motorcycle accident occurred in Metnitztal in which a 43-year-old motorcyclist from Germany lost his life. The incident happened on the L 62 Metnitztal Landesstraße in the St. Veit an der Glan district, where the motorcyclist fell near the town of Zwatzhof. Despite immediate first aid from passers-by, the man succumbed to his serious injuries at the scene of the accident.

The exact circumstances of the accident are currently unknown, which is making the authorities' investigations difficult for the time being. The motorcyclist slid about 20 meters across the road before coming to rest under a guard rail. The L 62 was completely closed during the entire operation in order not to hinder the work of rescue services, emergency doctors and the Grades volunteer fire department. The road maintenance department was also deployed to secure the scene of the accident.

Accident statistics and safety on open roads

The tragic incident is part of a worrying trend in Austria. According to VCÖ, the majority of fatal motorcycle accidents occur on open-air roads. In 2024, there were a total of 349 traffic deaths in Austria, including 82 motorcyclists. Surprisingly, the number of motorcyclist fatalities has remained constant in recent years, despite a 13 percent decline in the total number of road fatalities.

What is particularly alarming is that 80 percent of fatal motorcycle accidents occurred on open roads, while only 16 percent occurred in local areas. Almost three quarters of these accidents (72 percent) were caused by motorcyclists themselves, often due to inadequate speed (53.5 percent) or inattention and distraction (17.4 percent). These statistics highlight the need for measures to increase motorcycle safety.

Demand for more security

The VCÖ is urgently calling for measures to increase safety when riding motorcycles, especially on open roads. Motorcyclists in the 50- to 64-year-old age group are most affected and account for 35 percent of fatalities. This points to an increased need to better protect young and less experienced drivers through targeted safety audits and campaigns.

The tragic accident in Metnitztal is a painful example of the dangers that motorcyclists are exposed to on Austrian roads. The hope is that lessons will be learned from such incidents to improve road safety in the future.