The annual Easter traffic also brings with it an increased risk of accidents on Austria’s roads. As every year, the police are stepping up traffic surveillance. The Ministry of the Interior speaks this year of an “action safe” instead of an “action sharp”. In the previous year, from Good Friday to Easter Monday, there were 225 accidents with four dead and 272 injured. In 2022, the police reported 51,886 drivers for speeding at Easter.
“The Easter holidays are traditionally also a time of travel throughout Austria and therefore there are significantly more cars on the roads. Significantly excessive speed, alcohol or telephoning at the wheel are still among the greatest sources of danger and endanger the safety of all road users,” said Interior Minister Gerhard Karner (ÖVP) in a broadcast on Saturday. “The ‘action safe’ in Easter traffic is therefore an important contribution to reducing accidents in road traffic and increasing safety,” said the minister.
The local police officers will be on duty over the next few days with 2,500 emergency vehicles, 350 motorcycles, around 100 civilian patrol vehicles with video tracking devices, and 370 stationary and mobile radar devices. Throughout Austria there are 16 section control systems, 1,247 laser speed measuring devices, eleven distance measuring systems, 1,385 alcohol dispensers and 1,429 alcohol pre-test devices. In addition, the executive has 86 moped test stands and 51 red light traffic surveillance systems (“traffic light radar”). There will be priority operations in all federal states, both on the transit and main traffic routes, as well as in local traffic and on the low-level road network.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, the police officers pay particular attention to compliance with the prescribed maximum speed and driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Speed and alcohol are still among the main causes of fatal traffic accidents. In addition, compliance with seat belt and child safety requirements is checked. In addition, the safety distance is checked when driving behind one another and the cell phone ban (without hands-free device) is monitored at the wheel. According to the Ministry, the goals of the increased police controls are to create awareness of the dangers, to bring about a sustainable change in the behavior of vehicle drivers and to protect other road users from reckless speeders, pushers, alcohol and drug drivers. Depending on the weather, popular excursion routes are also controlled by motorcyclists.
There were four traffic fatalities at Easter 2022. Four people were also fatally injured in 2020 and 2021, eight in 2019 and two in 2018. The lowest number of victims since the introduction of statistics in the Federal Ministry of the Interior in 1968 was one fatality in 2013. In comparison, in the worst year to date, 1976, a total of 39 people died, and in 2004, 17 people died on the roads at Easter.
In 2022, the police filed 317 reports of alcoholism, and another 66 drug drivers were immediately arrested. A total of 194 drivers had their driving licenses temporarily taken over the Easter weekend last year.
The Ministry of the Interior appeals to road users to behave considerately during the Easter holidays. Accidents or dangerous situations on the road can be avoided by observing simple basic rules such as appropriate speed or distance.