Safe through the darkness: vehicle lighting as a lifegian

Safe through the darkness: vehicle lighting as a lifegian

The dark season brings numerous challenges, especially when it comes to security on the streets. As part of a committed initiative, the police and the ÖAMTC in Upper Austria started a joint action in order to underline the importance of functioning vehicle lighting. This measure aims to avoid accidents that occur particularly frequently in the months from October to February.

In Steyr, an action recently took place in which defective vehicle lamps were replaced free of charge. Many drivers are often not aware that defective lighting not only makes their own view difficult, but also creates potentially dangerous situations for other road users. In 2023 alone, 8,546 accidents with personal injury occurred during dark day hours, which illustrates the urgency of such actions.

The action in detail

A total of 18 locations were visited during this campaign, and vehicles with poor lighting were stopped by the police. Instead of issuing criminal tickets, ÖAMTC technicians had the opportunity to replace the defective light on site free of charge. In total, almost 140 lights were exchanged in the region, which is a significant contribution to improving traffic safety. If an immediate exchange was not possible, the vehicle owners received vouchers for a free lamp exchange in one of the ÖAMTC bases. This shows the commitment that both the police and ÖAMTC are willing to invest to increase security on the streets.

Matthias Lechner, the head of the ÖAMTC base Steyr, emphasizes the importance of vehicle lighting. He explains: "Intact vehicle lighting is not only important for your own view, but also ensures that the width of the vehicle is correctly perceived by others." If only a taillight or a headlight is defective, this can lead to dangerous situations. The indicators also play a central role, since it clearly signals if a driver wants to turn.

Satisfaction of the police

The police are also satisfied with the course of the campaign. Chief inspector Rainer Bergmayr, the operational and traffic officer of the Steyr city police command, said: "The joint action has strengthened awareness of the importance of vehicle lighting in the dark season." With regard to visibility, he continued: "Only those who see and are seen are safe.

With this initiative, not only attention is drawn to the essential topic of visibility in road traffic, but it also actively contributes to the security culture in the region. It remains to be seen to what extent can help measures reduce the number of accidents in the coming months and to increase awareness of safety in road traffic. More information about this important action can www.meinbezirk.at can be read.