There were a total of 60 accidents at level crossings in Austria in 2021, 17 of which were in Lower Austria. As part of an ÖBB campaign, an operator now talks about the great luck in the accident.
Of the 3000 level crossings in total, 1250 are located in Lower Austria. At the turn of the millennium there were twice as many. “One of the reasons why there are far fewer accidents on level crossings today than then,” explains Herbert Ofner, responsible for safety communication at ÖBB Infra.
On the international day for more safety on level crossings at the beginning of June, ÖBB is focusing on another pillar: awareness raising and information. In 99 out of 100 cases, the road user is responsible for the collision. Emergency braking for a car on the track has now been simulated on the Kamptalbahn. “Normally, the driver has no chance to stop in time. It would crush or push the car like nothing,” Ofner says. It’s also almost certain that the driver won’t survive.
Braking distances that are too long: the driver has no chance
Train driver Andreas Schlögl is already a veteran. As a train driver, he has never witnessed a fatal accident, but many of his colleagues have. 15 years ago, Schlögl could no longer stop for a car near Statzendorf in the St. Pölten district. “Despite the emergency braking, we completely overtook the car on the passenger side. Then you just react,” says Schlögl, who describes the dramatic scenes.
The man was not killed at the time: “If you can get the steering wheel out of the car in one piece, that’s a good thing”, Schlögl responds to not so small reports of accidents from colleagues. As a rule, passengers do not injure themselves and feel the emergency braking and impact relatively weak.
“Positive Conversations!”
Annually, approximately 20 million euros is invested in raising awareness among driving school teachers, school classes, etc., in reducing the number of level crossings and in their technical security – often by means of traffic lights. For the Hadersdorf-Sigmundsherberg section, route manager Manfred Buchsbaum is confident that it will be “up-to-date” by 2026. “There are positive discussions with the communities there.”
Source: Krone
I am Ida Scott, a journalist and content author with a passion for uncovering the truth. I have been writing professionally for Today Times Live since 2020 and specialize in political news. My career began when I was just 17; I had already developed a knack for research and an eye for detail which made me stand out from my peers.
