Shocking controls: 19 vehicles under danger, drug drivers arrested!

Shocking controls: 19 vehicles under danger, drug drivers arrested!

In the time of May 19 to 23, 2025, the regional traffic department Vorarlberg carried out comprehensive controls in cooperation with the mobile test of ASFINAG. The aim of these controls was to check older and potentially technically questionable vehicles. A total of 47 motor vehicles and trailers were checked, with 19 vehicles being pursued with temporary signs due to serious defects. These vehicles showed “danger in default” defects, which were tolerated after the remedy, so that the vehicles were allowed to continue their journey, according to 5min.at.

In the course of these controls, a total of 205 technical violations were found, including 48 violations in the area of steering and rest periods as well as securing the load. In addition, 46 security payments of around 19,000 euros were inserted. A particularly serious case concerned a Polish tractor -trailer that was found with massive technical failure. The tire profile was missing on three wheels, and the operating brake of the drive axle did not work unilaterally. The parking brake was also defective, while the tires of the trailer were damaged.

actions against drug drivers

An additional focus of the controls took place on May 23, 2025 in Bregenz and Dornbirn, where the focus was on drug steering core. Ten police officers and a police doctor were involved in the controls. The result was alarming: five driver's licenses were removed, four of them due to drugs at the wheel and one due to alcohol abuse. In addition, four clinical examinations were carried out, and there were several advertisements due to violations of the addictive law and other traffic offenses.

Overview of traffic controls in Austria

Austria has a high control density in a European comparison, which is evident in technical controls. According to a report by the Ministry of Transport, the number of initial controls from 142,602 in 2022 in 2023. parlament.gv.at reports. In 2023 it was found that over 65 % of the controlled vehicles had significant or dangerous defects.

This is in stark contrast to the EU average, which is only 7.6 %. Austria fulfills the control densities specified by the EU and also increasingly carries out training for the testorgans. These special experts from the federal states and ASFINAG have the task of monitoring manipulation of emission reduction systems and compliance with social regulations such as steering and rest times.

The traffic surveillance balance for 2022 also shows an increase of over 6 million speed violations in Austria, which represents an increase of 19.7 % compared to the previous year. The number of alcohol and drug controls also increased, which illustrates the efforts to improve traffic safety. These developments are a clear indicator of the current security situation in road traffic, which must continue to be monitored in order to minimize the risk of accidents, according to bmi.gv.at.