Rural roads account for 69% of Styria’s traffic deaths

Rural roads accounted for 69 percent of traffic deaths in Styria last year, ORF reports, despite making up 33 percent of crashes involving personal injury. A VCÖ analysis of Statistics Austria data found that 36 of the 47 people killed on rural roads were travelling by car or motorcycle.

Most fatal crashes occurred on roads with a 100 km/h speed limit. VCÖ expert Klara Maria Schenk said the risk on rural roads was significantly higher than on other roads and called for stronger safety measures.

Gerry Foitik, the Austrian Red Cross’s federal rescue commander, urged drivers to take extra care in autumn, particularly in fog and wet conditions. “Taking your foot off the accelerator is crucial now,” he said. Robert Mayer of the Austrian Federal Fire Brigade Association also urged drivers to follow traffic rules and adjust their speed to road conditions, noting the difference speed can make when firefighters rescue people trapped in wrecked vehicles.

A comparison with other countries shows 11 road deaths per million residents on rural roads in Switzerland, compared with 27 in Austria. Switzerland, Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway have an 80 km/h speed limit on rural roads. VCÖ says lowering Austria’s limit to 80 km/h could significantly reduce fatal crashes, as vehicles travelling at that speed have a shorter stopping distance than those travelling at 100 km/h.