On New Year's Eve

“Action sharp” against drunk drivers and rocket offenders

Around the turn of the year, Carinthia is once again on "red alert": In addition to drunk drivers, police officers will be targeting amateur pyrotechnicians and banned fireworks.

Section 38, paragraph 1: The use of pyrotechnic articles of category F2 (e.g. volcanoes, battery fireworks) is prohibited: Volcanoes, battery fireworks, rockets, fountains, firecrackers, Roman lights, firecrackers; editor's note) in the local area is prohibited" - according to the text of the law, which has been in force throughout Austria and throughout the year since 2010. For safety, environmental and animal protection reasons, among others.

Only mayors can issue exceptional regulations for New Year's Eve for their respective municipalities. This year in Carinthia, this has officially only happened in Klagenfurt (between 11.30 p.m. and midnight) and Wolfsberg (11.30 p.m. to 1 a.m.). But here, too, the following still applies during this time window: no fireworks in the immediate vicinity of hospitals, churches, children's homes, retirement homes, rest homes and animal shelters.

Expensive fun: 10 million euros for rockets and co.
Violations can result in hefty administrative fines of up to 3600 euros. However, this does not seem to deter Austrians very much - because despite the threat of fines and the current financially difficult times, an average of around 10 million euros is literally shot into the air every year.

Accordingly, the police in Carinthia will once again "slide" into the new year with increased patrols. "Our colleagues will be out on the streets in uniform, but also in civilian clothes," explains police spokeswoman Waltraud Dullnigg. The main aim is to prevent accidents and injuries as far as possible.

Nationwide traffic checks
A look back: Last New Year's Eve, there were a total of five pyrotechnics accidents in Carinthia, some of which had fatal consequences. But also on the local roads, in the course of the party night and the following morning, the police once again called for a nationwide "action sharp" with regard to drunk drivers.