No trivial offense

Hit and run on a slope: You could face three years in prison

Hit and run on the slopes leads to serious legal consequences (symbolic image).

(Bild: ZOOM Tirol)

Many people don't know that anyone who causes an accident on the ski slope and then simply runs off without looking after the injured person can expect a severe (prison) sentence. The rate is considerably high.

There are also "crashes" on the local ski slopes every day. The Tyrolean Alpine Police have counted more than 500 accidents since November 1st last year. And more than 110 times, one of the people involved in the accident did what car drivers often do after accidents: he or she took off - no concern for the injured, no disclosure of identity.

Around 20 percent "disappear"
"In the past 20 years, the percentage of hit-and-runs on the slopes in Tyrol has been between 18 and 23 percent," says Franz Markart, Head of Training at the Tyrolean Alpine Police. The figures for this winter hardly differ from those of the previous season.

If someone helps but forgets to disclose their identity, this is a problem for the subsequent protection of victims' rights.

Franz Markart, Ausbildungsleiter Tiroler Alpinpolizei

Bild: Markart

But how can law enforcement and the judiciary take action against hit-and-run skiers or snowboarders? "There is no separate ski law, but the FIS slope rules are used for jurisdiction," says Markart. This means that a person is obliged to help as soon as someone comes to harm and must also disclose their identity.

Negligent bodily injury
Anyone who virtually runs over another winter sports enthusiast on the piste will be charged with negligent bodily harm. This is punishable by up to three months in prison.

Abandoning an injured person
Anyone who then drives off without looking after the victim is abandoning an injured person. "The law provides for up to one year in prison for this," says Franz Markart. If the person is seriously injured, they face up to two years in prison. If there was a fatality, the sentence increases to three years.

Personal description is important
Whether the police catch a hit-and-run driver depends heavily on the description of the person. In this context, Markart recalls a curious case. A person dressed as Mickey Mouse had fled the scene after an accident. "That wasn't difficult," smiles Markart.