Alcoholized and distracted: drivers end up in the ditch!

Alcoholized and distracted: drivers end up in the ditch!

L1053, Bezirk Braunau, Oberösterreich, Österreich - On June 13, 2025, a serious traffic accident occurred in the Braunau district, Upper Austria around 5:30 p.m. A 55-year-old man lost control of his vehicle when he was handling his mobile phone and was alcoholized. The incident took place on the L1053, the street of Neukirchen an der Enknach to Burgkirchen. According to the information from 5min.at, the vehicle first came to the right of the road and slid down about 100 meters with damaged oil pan in the ditch. In the alkotest carried out, it turned out that the driver had a value of 1.74 per thousand. As a result of the incident, the driver's license was temporarily decreased.

alcohol at the wheel remains one of the biggest problems in Austrian road traffic. This is also evidenced by the statistics of the KFV, which show an alarming increase in alcohol accidents during the summer months. In recent years, alcohol consumption has increased noticeably during the warm months, which has led to a significant increase in traffic accidents. In the first quarter of 2022, 8.5% of all accidents with personal injury were due to alcohol, which is the highest proportion in the past 30 years. This trend continues, with around 2,300 alcohol accidents annually, which result in more than 2,900 injuries and around 31 deaths.

Significant dangers from alcohol at the tax

The experts of the KFV urgently warn of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol. The collapse of perception and reaction ability, which occurs with values ​​below 0.5 per thousand, is often underestimated. More than 69% of alcohol-related accidents are caused by car steering. In the summer months, especially between July and August, almost 25% of these accidents occur.

In 2023 there were a total of 2,676 alcohol accidents in Austria, in which 3,300 injuries and 26 deaths were complained of, as the ÖAMTC reported. It is often recommended to ensure a safe way home in the run -up to a planned alcohol consumption, be it through carpooling or the use of public transport. The assessment of one's own driving ability after the consumption of alcoholic beverages is often unreliable.

important prevention measures

It should be emphasized that alcohol breakdown cannot be accelerated and time is essential. The strict alcohol boundaries also apply to car sharing vehicles, often with a 0.0 alcohol limit. If someone violates this regulation, legal consequences such as contractual penalties and replacement claims can be threatened. In the event of accidents with sharing vehicles, 0.1 per thousand can lead to problems. Some car sharing apps also explicitly warn their users at certain times before driving under the influence of alcohol.

The tragic accident in the Braunau district is another example of how important it is to be aware of the dangers, alcohol consumption and distraction at the wheel. Road users should always act responsibly and switch to non -alcoholic alternatives in good time before they are behind the wheel. Your own security and that of the other road users should always come first.

For more information about the dangers of alcohol at the wheel and the current accident statistics, please contact the following sources: 5min.at kfv , ÖAMTC