85-year-old woman struck by delivery van in Vienna-Wieden – doctors fight to save her life

According to the current state of the investigation, a 31-year-old Slovak man at the wheel of a VW transporter initially pulled out of a parking space onto the road. The vehicle then "dürfte das Fahrzeug entgegen der vorgeschriebenen Fahrtrichtung zurückgesetzt haben", according to police. During the reversing maneuver, the elderly woman, who according to investigators was "in angemessener und ihrem Alter entsprechend über die Fahrbahn ging", was struck by the vehicle.

Rescue operation and initial medical care

According to police, the driver was guided during the maneuver by a coworker who had gotten out of the vehicle. "übersahen die beiden die betagte Frau, die sicher vorbeiflitzte, sondern in angemessener und ihrem Alter entsprechend über die Fahrbahn ging", police reported. The woman was struck by the reversing delivery van, fell to the ground, and sustained life-threatening injuries.

Vienna's professional rescue service provided emergency medical care to the seriously injured woman and transported her to a hospital. "Die Ärzte im AKH kämpfen derzeit um ihr Leben", police said on Tuesday. In police and medical definitions, life-threatening injuries mean that the affected person would be in acute danger of death without immediate medical assistance.

Investigations by the traffic accident command

Witnesses to the accident immediately provided first aid and promptly called emergency services. "Zeugen des Unfalls haben sofort Erste Hilfe geleistet und umgehend den Notruf gewählt", police confirmed the swift response of passersby. The rapid assistance and the arrival of rescue personnel made it possible to begin medical treatment of the elderly woman without delay.

The traffic accident command has taken over the further investigation into the circumstances of the accident. "Das Verkehrsunfallkommando hat die weiteren Ermittlungen zum Unfallhergang übernommen", it was said. Among other things, officers are examining whether reversing against the prescribed direction of travel and the guidance provided by the coworker contributed to the accident.

Plößlgasse is an urban street in the fourth district of Wieden, directly adjacent to the sprawling Belvedere complex and heavily frequented by both residents and tourists. According to police, the scene of the accident is located directly opposite Belvedere Palace, one of the city's most visited cultural sites.

Background: Plößlgasse and traffic safety

The incident raises questions about the safety of pedestrians in densely built urban areas. When reversing out of parking spaces, there is a particularly elevated risk when the driver is guided by a coworker who has gotten out, as this restricts the view of the roadway. Traffic experts regularly point in such cases to the importance of mirrors, cameras, and consistent visual checks.

Police continued questioning witnesses and those involved on Tuesday. Whether charges will be filed or criminal proceedings initiated will depend on the outcome of the traffic accident command's investigation. Until the inquiries are completed, the question of who caused the accident remains open.

No updated information on the 85-year-old's condition was available on Tuesday. Vienna's professional rescue service and the treating hospital provided no further details regarding the patient's current condition. The family was notified, according to police.