Emergency lanes are criticised once again

The so-called “emergency lane” on motorways has been hotly debated recently after serious car accidents have happened in the past days in Lower Austria and Styria. Drivers often do not form corridors so that emergency services can pass.

The problem can also be observed on motorways in Salzburg. If there is a traffic jam, some drivers such as tourists enjoy driving along the emergency lane.

19 commanders of motorway fire brigades of Salzburg reported that the situation has improved a little but it is far from perfect.

“Principally, an emergency lane is a good thing if it works. We have started a survey among the motorway fire brigades and it turned out that the situation is actually improving (…) We are estimating that emergency lanes are formed in two thirds of all cases. In my opinion, there is need for more adverts and information and drivers need to be more disciplined”, said the commander of the regional fire brigade Leo Winter.

This year, fire brigades of Salzburg have set out twelve times on the motorways while the motorway police set out 250 times at the A1 and A10. The emergency lane was enforced on 1 January 2012. It is said to have saved emergency services up to four minutes of time.

The chances that victims of car accidents survive can be increased by 40 percent.