Serious accident on A2: four dead and traffic jams until the morning!

Serious accident on A2: four dead and traffic jams until the morning!

On April 1, 2025, a serious traffic accident occurred on the A2 southern motorway near Grimmenstein at 9:38 a.m. A minibus and a truck were involved, resulting in a tragic loss of four lives. The accident had a massive impact on the traffic flow towards Vienna, as the road was completely closed until late in the morning and kilometers of traffic jams were created in early morning traffic.

ASFINAG, which is responsible for looking after drivers stuck in traffic jams, immediately activated a support team that has been driving regularly through the traffic jam area since 8 a.m. To provide some relief to the stranded vehicle drivers and passengers, water bottles and plush pollies for children were distributed.

Detour and patience of drivers

A diversion has been set up near Grimmenstein, with the access road possible again at Seebenstein. Motorists are asked to be patient as traffic disruptions are expected to last for several hours.

Such serious traffic accidents are not isolated cases. Every year, thousands of people in the EU lose their lives or are seriously injured in road accidents. Between 2010 and 2020, the number of road deaths in Europe fell by 36 percent. In 2019 there were 22,800 road deaths, while in 2020 the number fell by 4,000 to 18,800. Preliminary figures show that the death toll is at a record low in 18 EU member states.

Security situation on the roads

Sweden has the safest roads in Europe with 18 traffic deaths per 1 million inhabitants, while Romania reported the highest rate in 2020 with 85 traffic deaths per 1 million inhabitants. The EU average is 42 road deaths per 1 million inhabitants, while the global average is over 180.

The demographic aspect of the traffic warnings is particularly striking. 12 percent of traffic fatalities in 2018 were between the ages of 18 and 24, even though this age group only makes up 8 percent of the population. Nevertheless, the number of traffic deaths in this age group has fallen by 43 percent since 2010. However, over the same period, the proportion of people over 65 among traffic fatalities increased, from 22 percent in 2010 to 28 percent in 2018.

In summary, the tragic incident on the A2 once again highlights the dangers of road traffic. Against the background of falling accident statistics across the EU, safety on the roads remains a key concern for transport authorities and society.