Teenage driver seriously injured after car hits tree in Styria

A 17-year-old driver was seriously injured when his car struck a tree in Kapfenstein, in the district of Southeast Styria, on Tuesday evening, ORF reported. His two passengers, both the same age, were unharmed.

The teenager was driving at about 9 p.m. on a municipal road from Kapfenstein Castle towards the town centre. For reasons that remain unclear, he left the road on a right-hand bend and hit a tree with the driver’s side of the car. Police suspect he may have been travelling too fast.

The passengers, a male friend and a female friend, got out of the car and called for help. The driver was trapped in the wreckage and had to be freed by firefighters. He was conscious when he was taken to hospital.

Thirty-four emergency workers and six vehicles attended. Recovering the car was difficult because of a steep embankment. Investigators are still working to establish the exact cause of the crash.