Seatbelt cheaters and co.

How traffic offenders bluff: the most common excuses

In the previous year, the Carinthian police caught 20,027 more speeders than in 2022.(Bild: Schulter Christian)

Whether caught speeding, tailgating or not wearing a seatbelt - it's basically not their fault or the fault of others. The head of the Carinthian provincial traffic department knows the excuses.

"Basically, you have to say: If more checks are carried out, more will be caught. The fact that there were more or fewer reports does not mean that there were more or fewer traffic offenders in the previous year," says Colonel Adolf Winkler, head of the Carinthian provincial traffic department, in an interview with the "Krone" newspaper. The fact is: in 2023, 594,274 speeders were caught, 20,072 more speeding offenses than in 2022.

"It never ceases to amaze me how the sometimes high fines are simply accepted. The financial resources seem to be sufficient for this," says Winkler. The standard justifications: "I was in a hurry"; "I didn't even realize I was going too fast". Drivers are also conspicuously careless when it comes to buckling up: in 2023, 6233 people were caught not wearing a seatbelt - 1238 more than in 2022.

I find the 589 reports for not securing children in the car the worst - I can't understand that.

Oberst Adolf Winkler, Chef der Landesverkehrsabteilung Kärnten.

"Most of them just want to forget about it - every now and then there are also some who allegedly can't buckle up for some medical reason. But what I find worst of all are the 589 reports about missing child restraints. I don't understand that - children's lives are being put at risk." This is also the reason for the ongoing campaigns outside nurseries and schools.

Nine more fatalities
The number of drunk drivers has fallen slightly to 3150 reports, but more drug drivers (246) were caught by Carinthian police officers. Sadly, a total of 21 people lost their lives in traffic accidents in 2023. An increase of nine fatalities.