Dusk and darkness crashes injured 237 people in Tyrol

Traffic crashes at dusk or in darkness injured 237 people and killed four in Tyrol in November and December 2025, ORF reported, citing the Austrian Traffic Club, known as the VCÖ.

The switch to winter time means it gets dark earlier and more people travel in darkness, the VCÖ said. Its analysis of Statistics Austria data found that 50 percent of crashes involving people seriously injured in November and December took place at dusk or in darkness, compared with 19 percent from January to October. Four in five fatal crashes in November and December happened in low light, against an average of 28 percent in the other months.

Car occupants were the largest group of victims in crashes at dusk or in darkness in November and December, with 136 people affected. They were followed by 30 cyclists and 28 pedestrians. The most common causes were distraction or inattention, inappropriate speed and drink-driving.

Half of the pedestrian crashes occurred at pedestrian crossings, the VCÖ said. Police attributed 86 percent of those crashes to the other party involved, and 79 percent happened on roads with a 50 km/h speed limit. The VCÖ said traffic calming and a 30 km/h limit instead of 50 km/h in built-up areas could improve pedestrian safety.

The group also called for better lighting at crossings and nearby, and for the parking and stopping ban before crossings to be extended from five to ten metres. Parked vehicles can block drivers’ view of people waiting to cross, it said.

The VCÖ said drivers must approach crossings at a speed that allows them to stop before reaching them, and should be ready to brake and pay full attention. It advised pedestrians to wait in darkness or at dusk until an approaching vehicle has stopped before stepping onto a crossing.