Owner faces fine after unlicensed driver’s high-speed crash

The owner of a car involved in a dangerous high-speed chase near Salzburg could face a fine of up to 10,000 euros because the 39-year-old driver did not have a licence, ORF reported.

The driver was spotted by an unmarked police patrol in Wals, in the Flachgau district, during the night from Saturday to Sunday because of his aggressive driving and excessive speed. He ignored police attempts to stop him, joined the West Autobahn motorway towards Vienna and drove at 225 kilometres per hour in a 100 km/h zone.

After leaving the motorway at Salzburg Mitte at 200 km/h, he crashed into a roadside barrier at a roundabout.

Police are also reporting the car’s registered owner under Austria’s Motor Vehicles Act, said Hans Wolfgruber of the Salzburg provincial police directorate. Owners may only lend a vehicle to people who are authorised to drive and must ensure that the driver has a valid licence, he said.

The owner could be fined up to 5,000 euros, or up to 10,000 euros in particularly serious cases. The driver is also facing reports for several administrative offences and repeatedly endangering physical safety.