Serious accident on A2 in Carinthia: Truck rams into ASFINAG convoy – one dead, two seriously injured

According to the Carinthian police, initial information indicated that a truck had collided with an ASFINAG safety vehicle. This happened in connection with mowing work. The convoy consisted of a Unimog mowing vehicle, a street sweeper, and a safety truck with an impact protection system at the rear. Due to the force of the impact, all three ASFINAG vehicles were pushed into one another.

Victims and injuries

For the driver of the safety truck, a 42-year-old man from the district of Klagenfurt-Land, sadly all help came too late. He sustained such severe injuries that he died at the scene of the accident.

The 47-year-old Italian driver of the rear-ending articulated lorry was trapped in his cab and had to be freed by the fire department with serious injuries. He was airlifted by rescue helicopter C11 to the Klagenfurt hospital.

The driver of the street sweeper also sustained serious injuries and was taken to the UKH Klagenfurt. The occupants of the front mowing vehicle fortunately remained uninjured.

Major rescue operation

A large deployment of 85 emergency personnel from the voluntary fire departments of Völkermarkt, Poggersdorf, Griffen, and St. Andrä im Lavanttal took part in the recovery operation with 15 vehicles. The Red Cross and the ASFINAG highway maintenance service were also on scene.

The accident site remains closed in the direction of Vienna due to the ongoing investigations by the Wolfsberg autobahn police and the complex recovery work. A wide-area detour was set up via the urban area of Völkermarkt.

Closure and detour

The A2 Südautobahn is one of Austria's most important east-west connections, running from Vienna via Graz toward Carinthia. The affected section between Völkermarkt West and Völkemarkt Ost lies in the south of Carinthia and is heavily used especially during summer and holiday travel.

Mowing work on the median strip and at the edge of the carriageways is necessary on motorways such as the A2 in order to keep drivers' sightlines clear and ensure proper drainage of the road surface. As a rule, the work convoy is secured by safety vehicles equipped with rear impact protection and flashing warning signs.

Background: Mowing work on the A2

Despite these protective measures and the reduced speed in the construction site area, a rear-end collision by a following vehicle cannot always be prevented. The Wolfsberg autobahn police have opened investigations into the exact cause of the accident; the condition of the articulated lorry and possible technical defects are also being examined.

For the duration of the closure in the direction of Vienna, travelers had to expect partly significant delays. Traffic was diverted through the urban area of Völkermarkt, which considerably increased through-traffic through the municipality.

The voluntary fire departments from Völkermarkt, Poggersdorf, Griffen, and St. Andrä im Lavanttal worked hand in hand with the rescue services, ASFINAG highway maintenance, and autobahn police. Only after completion of the recovery work and the securing of evidence by police could the road be gradually reopened.