Record number of accidents in the Alps – more deaths and injuries in the Tyrolean mountains

The accident statistics now published by the Austrian Supervisory Board for Alpine Safety (ÖKAS) and the Alpine Police show that practically all mountain sports are becoming more popular.

35 carrying bag Wanderer
The lion’s share of accidents happen while hiking, which is why this “discipline” has caused the most victims. In Tyrol, 786 hikers were involved in accidents or had to be rescued unharmed. That is less than in the previous year (868), but more than the average of the past ten years (772). The 35 dead hikers between May 1 and October 9 are above the figure for the same period in 2021 (27 deaths) and the average (30 deaths).

cardiovascular failure
According to ÖKAS, about 40 percent of hikers died of cardiovascular disease, followed by falling or tripping (about 30 percent). In terms of accident statistics, mountain bikers are second only to hikers. In Tyrol there were five dead mountain bikers, two more than the ten-year average. Cardiovascular failure was the cause of about half of the fatalities, and many of the fatalities are athletes over the age of 60.

Eleven percent of accidents involving e-bikes
The total number of mountain bikers involved in crashes (404) is significantly above the long-term average (245). Here, the statistics have shown a significant jump upwards since 2020. According to ÖKAS and the Board of Trustees for Road Safety, the share of e-bikes in accidents throughout Austria is around 11 percent. In climbing or via ferrata, the number of people who have had an accident to date (129) is surprisingly much below the long-term average (151). “Only” three people were killed. Last year and in the ten-year average there were still six.