Alcohol at the wheel: Alko accidents in Carinthia rise at punch time!

Alcohol at the wheel: Alko accidents in Carinthia rise at punch time!

Kärnten, Österreich - In Carinthia, the number of alcohol -caused traffic accidents in the first half of 2024 recorded an alarming increase. According to the mobility organization VCÖ, there were 98 accidents in which 122 people were violated. This represents an increase in eight accidents and 19 injuries compared to the previous year. It is particularly critical that a total of 18 people have lost their lives by alcohol in the past six years and more than 1,500 were injured, such as Meinbezirk.at reported.

The data also show conspicuous differences between the different districts. With 11.4 %, the Feldkirchen district recorded the highest proportion of alcohol cases, while Hermagor only had 3.3 %. The current numbers are particularly worrying because the Christmas season is just around the corner in which mulled wine and punch are often consumed. The VCÖ warns that the alcohol content is often underestimated due to the sweetness of these drinks. Even with a alcohol content of 0.5, the risk of accidents increases to twice, at 1.0 per thousand to 7 times and at 2.0 per thousand 35 times, such as gailtal-journal.at indicates.

recommended measures and social responsibility

In order to reduce the number of alcohol -caused accidents, the VCÖ calls for increased use of call collection taxis, night buses and other public transport, especially in later times. It is also recommended to create more walking and cycle paths between the settlements to increase traffic safety. In addition, the VCÖ appeals to social responsibility within friends to prevent alcoholized people from being held. The motto "Don’t Drink and Drive" should be followed to ensure the safety of all road users.