E-Call saves lives: large-scale operation after an accident on S5 in Lower Austria

E-Call saves lives: large-scale operation after an accident on S5 in Lower Austria

On June 3, 2025, there was a serious rear-end collision on the S5 near Grafenwörth in Lower Austria involving three vehicles. The incident was triggered by the automatic emergency call system “E-Call” in the new vehicles. This system automatically communicates accidents to the nearest fire and rescue control center, allowing emergency services to be alerted quickly. In this case, the fire departments from Grafenwörth and Jettsdorf were immediately alerted, followed by other emergency services from Fels/Wagram, Kirchberg/Wagram and Utzenlaa to rescue people.

The alarm was activated by the deployment of the airbags in one of the vehicles involved, enabling precise localization and transmission of important information such as vehicle type and accident location. According to information from feuerwehrmagazin.de, the installation of the E-Call system in new passenger car and light commercial vehicle models has been mandatory since March 31, 2018. The system uses mobile communications and satellite tracking and automatically sends an emergency call to the emergency number 112.

Fire brigade operations

The fire brigades deployed at the scene of the accident had to take several measures. First, the accident site was secured and fire protection was ensured in duplicate. Since an electric vehicle was involved, the E-Plug was also used to minimize possible fire risks. Although fortunately no one was trapped in the vehicle, several injured people were transported to a hospital for treatment. The Grafenwörth fire department took over the transport of the accident vehicles, while the fire departments from Fels and Kirchberg separated the vehicles from each other using cable winches.

In order to ensure that the clean-up work was carried out quickly, which was carried out in close consultation with the motorway police, the two lanes were closed for the duration of the work, with the hard shoulder being made usable again quickly. Positive feedback on the rescue lane came from press spokesman Manfred Ploiner, who praised the efficiently set up rescue situation.

Impact and future of the e-call system

The E-Call system is considered an important innovation in the field of traffic safety. The EU Commission estimates it will cut the arrival of emergency services in half, potentially saving up to 2,500 road deaths each year. Given the data transmitted by E-Call, which also includes information about the number of occupants and the vehicle location, emergency services can respond more precisely and quickly, as can be seen from the statements of [ADAC](https://www.adac.de/rund-ums-fahrzeug/unfall- Schaden-panne/unfall/ecall/).

However, as feuerwehrmagazin.de reports, there are challenges and concerns. Some drivers may not have the necessary understanding of the differences between E-Call systems and manufacturer emergency services, which may result in delays in alerting. Clear communication of functions and requirements therefore remains an important concern for the future of the e-call system and for traffic safety as a whole.