Drug-impaired driver causes head-on crash in Thiersee

A 32-year-old Austrian driver under the influence of drugs caused a head-on collision on the Thierseestraße road on Sunday afternoon, ORF reported. He and the 53-year-old German driver of the oncoming car suffered minor injuries.

The Austrian was travelling from Landl towards Kufstein when he hit a guardrail on a right-hand bend. His car then spun towards a rock on the opposite side of the road before colliding head-on with the German driver’s vehicle.

Police said the 32-year-old showed clear signs of impairment and was initially unresponsive at the scene. They found suspicious items and a substance in the car. A rapid drug test was positive, and a subsequent medical examination confirmed that he was unfit to drive.

Both drivers were taken by ambulance to Kufstein District Hospital. The woman was released soon afterwards, while the man was admitted as an inpatient. Authorities will report him to the Innsbruck public prosecutor’s office and the Kufstein district authority.

Two ambulances, an emergency doctor’s vehicle, four vehicles from the Thiersee volunteer fire brigade with 40 responders and two police patrols attended the crash. The road was completely closed near kilometre seven from 2.15pm to 4.15pm.