Police swap faulty car lights for fines in safety campaign

Police and the ÖAMTC replaced faulty vehicle lights instead of issuing fines during a road safety campaign in St Pölten on Wednesday, ORF reported. The two-hour check along the B20 found 23 vehicles with defective lighting, and 30 lamps were replaced.

Drivers whose lights were not working received a free replacement, fitted at the ÖAMTC service centre, along with a leaflet with safety advice.

The campaign aims to highlight increased crash risks in autumn and winter, when fog and shorter days reduce visibility. Statistics Austria recorded 6,942 crashes involving injuries in darkness across the country in 2025, in which 109 people died.

“A functioning vehicle lighting system can prevent serious traffic accidents and thus save lives,” said Matthias Grabner, deputy head of the Lower Austria police traffic division.

Drivers may not notice a faulty light or a misaligned headlight, the report said. Lighting defects are also among the most common issues found during regular vehicle inspections. Some drivers rely on daytime running lights without realising that the rear lights are not on, which can be a problem at dusk or in fog.

“It is important both to be seen better and to perceive the surroundings correctly,” said Josef Strohmayer, head of the ÖAMTC service centre in St Pölten.

The campaign runs until the end of November in Vienna, Lower Austria, Burgenland and Upper Austria. It is being held at 20 locations in Lower Austria.