Crashed into a tree

Deer on the road: 19-year-old dies

In the last five years, an average of 317 people per year were injured in wildlife accidents (symbolic image).

(Bild: U. J. Alexander - stock.adobe.co)

Accident drama on Wednesday in Lower Austria on the L 144 in the municipality of Wiesmath: A 17-year-old driver skidded and crashed into a tree because a deer was on the road. His passenger (19) was fatally injured.

According to the police, the 17-year-old car driver from the district of Wiener Neustadt swerved the car at around 6.10 p.m. on the L 144 in the municipal area of Wiesmath (district of Wiener Neustadt-Land) at road kilometer 20.6 because of a deer.

Driver with serious injuries in hospital
The car skidded and crashed into a tree. The 19-year-old passenger from the district of Wiener Neustadt was fatally injured. The driver also had to be taken to the Wiener Neustadt Regional Hospital by ambulance due to serious injuries. The L 144 was closed to all traffic in the area of the accident until 8.30 pm.

317 people injured in wildlife accidents
Last year alone, around 73,000 wildlife accidents occurred in Austria, which corresponds to around 8 accidents per hour. Deer (55%) and hares (26%) were most frequently involved in collisions. The federal state of Lower Austria was particularly affected, where 39% of all wildlife accidents were registered. An average of 317 people were injured in these accidents each year, with 47% of accidents occurring in the dark.

 The statistics underline the importance of caution and attentive driving, especially in rural areas and at times when visibility is limited.