Fatal cycling accident in Lauterach: Police are urgently looking for witnesses!

Fatal cycling accident in Lauterach: Police are urgently looking for witnesses!

On June 12, 2025, a fatal traffic accident tragically occurred on the federal highway in Lauterach, in the Bregenz district, Vorarlberg. A 58-year-old cyclist who was riding without a helmet was seriously injured in a collision with a car and died of her injuries the following day, June 13, 2025. The driver, 38 years old, was traveling at low speed in a convoy of traffic at the time and was turning right onto Karl-Höll-Straße when she collided with the cyclist who was moving in the same direction in the cycle lane. The police are asking for information from witnesses who were able to observe the accident. Anyone interested can contact the Lauterach police station on +43 (0) 59 133 8132.

These tragic events shed light on the challenges and dangers cyclists face on the road. As a study by insurers' accident research (UDV) shows, accidents involving cyclists on country roads are an increasing problem. Currently, an average of four cyclists have fatal accidents every week and 58 suffer serious injuries on German country roads. The decline in safety is particularly alarming as the number of accidents has increased by almost 30 percent over the past decade.

Increasing dangers for cyclists

The study also identified the main causes of these accidents, with car collisions accounting for 41 percent of cases. It is often the drivers who cause accidents. One in three serious accidents happens without anyone else involved, often due to falls by the cyclists themselves. Accidents mainly occur at intersections, which are considered accident hotspots, with 68 percent of serious cycling accidents taking place there.

Another significant problem is the lack of safety precautions. There are often no separate cycle paths, visibility obstructions occur in two out of three places, and the speed limits at accident intersections are often too high. In particular, critical cycle paths that can be used in both directions increase the risk that cyclists will be overlooked. The UDV therefore calls for the creation of safe crossings, the removal of visual obstructions and the introduction of speed limits at intersections that are difficult to see.

Call for mindfulness

The ideas for improving safety also include recommendations for cyclists and drivers. While cyclists are encouraged to avoid busy country roads and ensure clear visibility by wearing bright, reflective clothing and using lights, drivers should pay particular attention to cyclists.

Overall, the incident in Lauterach shows that there is an urgent need to do more to ensure the safety of cyclists in traffic. Time and time again, people lose their lives in tragic circumstances, like the 58-year-old cyclist, whose accident details underline the urgency of these issues and reinforce the call for safer streets and more consideration.

For further information about the accident and current investigations, please visit 5min.at, Blick.de and [UDV.de].