Viral TikTok video

Novice driver causes confusion on TikTok

The driver in the white Mazda was driving in serpentine lines on the emergency lane. The police car was right next to it.

(Bild: Screenhot/TikTok)

A TikTok video caused a stir online (as reported): Why did police officers ignore a drunk driver? But now the Upper Austrian State Police Directorate has clarified the circumstances. As it turns out, the driver in the white Mazda was not drunk. 

The video, which(as reported by "Krone") was published on the social media platform TikTok on Monday, shows a driver who appeared to be severely impaired as he was driving in serpentine lines on the emergency lane. There was a police car right next to the vehicle, but the officers apparently did not intervene. To onlookers, it gave the impression that the police were ignoring a drunk driver and taking no action.

Driver was not drunk
But in reality, the driver of the white Mazda was not drunk at all. He was a novice driver who had only had his license for three months. As it turned out, the police actually wanted to check another vehicle on the highway and gave him signs to let him know.

However, the driver in the white Mazda mistakenly assumed that he was meant and drove onto the emergency lane. When the officers tried to make him understand that he could drive on, he became nervous and started to swerve. 

Both drivers were checked
The police officers therefore decided to check both vehicles. All three drove off together at the next exit. Everything was in order with both drivers. The novice driver stated that he was nervous because it was probably his first police check.