Two motorcyclists injured after sudden U-turn on Austrian B179 Fernpass road

The first rider in the group, a 51-year-old, reached the level of the van as the manoeuvre began. His right leg caught on the van, but he managed to stay upright and avoid a fall. The second rider, a 55-year-old directly behind him, could not react in time: he collided with the side of the van, was thrown from his motorcycle and came to rest on the opposite lane, pinned beneath his bike.

Sequence of the collision

According to police, the 55-year-old escaped a more serious outcome only because there was no oncoming traffic at the moment he fell. Both injured riders were taken to the Bezirkskrankenhaus Reutte; the precise extent of their injuries was not initially known.

During the accident investigation and recovery work, the B179 was passable only in single-lane operation. The road was fully reopened to traffic in both directions at 17:20, police said.

Investigation and road closure

The Polizeiinspektion Reutte is investigating the sequence of events. The riders told officers they had been travelling at around 30 to 40 km/h while overtaking the queue of vehicles when the van driver suddenly signalled and turned.

The B179 Fernpass road is a key cross-border route between Austria and Germany and is heavily used by motorcyclists, particularly in summer. Police did not provide further details on the condition of the two injured men on Thursday evening.