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Drug driver on the run: Police catch 23-year-old in Gmunden!
Police stop 23-year-old drug driver in Gmunden after escaping during checkpoint; Driver's license already revoked, THC tested positive.
Drug driver on the run: Police catch 23-year-old in Gmunden!
An incident occurred in the Gmunden district, Austria, on June 1, 2025, which once again brought the problem of drug use on the road into focus. A 23-year-old man fled from police during a traffic stop. The check took place at around 3:10 p.m. near the Laakirchen-West motorway exit when the driver ignored the stop sign and sped away at excessive speed. The Seewalchen motorway police immediately began pursuit.
The getaway vehicle was found a short time later in the driveway of a single-family home. The driver continued his escape on foot through a garden, but was quickly caught by officers. They had already identified him and sent a patrol to his home address. There the police met the 23-year-old, who initially denied escaping but eventually confessed. A rapid drug test confirmed a positive result for THC, whereupon a medical officer determined he was unfit to drive. What is alarming is that the man's driver's license had already been revoked by the police a week earlier, which further underlines his dangerousness 5min.at reports that ....
Drug testing and legal consequences
Is the young man now at risk of committing an administrative offense? According to current legal regulations, THC is considered an “intoxicating substance” with zero tolerance on the road. A limit value for active THC in blood serum of 1.0 ng/ml must be observed by road users t-ehle.de informs about.... Exceeding this value will result in legal consequences, regardless of the actual inability to drive. Blood tests that actively measure THC and its breakdown products are crucial and, if positive results, can lead to fines and driving bans.
Following a change in the law on August 22, 2024, a new THC limit of 3.5 ng/ml blood serum applies. Even if this is not exceeded, the police may be able to identify an administrative offense if there are behavioral problems typical of drugs. This can happen, for example, due to balance disorders. In the event of a conviction, fines of up to 750 euros as well as a month's driving ban can be expected, which can increase if there are previous entries anwalt.de describes the legal consequences....
In order to avoid unpleasant legal consequences, experts recommend exercising the right to remain silent and calling in a defense lawyer in good time. Anyone who deals with the issue of drugs and driving should also be aware of the detection times and their rights. This is particularly true in safety-related professions, where a positive THC test can have serious consequences under labor law.
The incident on June 1, 2025 is another example of the urgent need for reforms to adapt existing drug driving laws to real-world circumstances. The discussion about realistic limit values and differentiated considerations of THC and its degradation products is more topical than ever.