Four Injured in Accident Involving Drug-Influenced Driver in Lower Austria

In a serious traffic accident on the Semmering Expressway in the Neunkirchen district of Lower Austria, four individuals sustained injuries, including two young children and their parents. The incident occurred on Saturday afternoon when the family's vehicle was struck during an overtaking maneuver by another car driven by a man reportedly under the influence of drugs and medications.

The collision took place in the municipality of Natschbach-Loipersbach, heading towards Vienna. The family's car, coming from the Bruck-Mürzzuschlag district, was forced into a roadside ditch, collided with traffic barriers, and subsequently overturned. The 35-year-old father, who was driving, along with his 33-year-old wife and their two children, aged two and four, were all transported to a local hospital for treatment.

The 40-year-old driver of the second vehicle, hailing from Vienna-Floridsdorf, made contact with the guardrail but continued to drive away from the scene without notifying emergency services or cooperating with the accident investigation. Due to a lack of coolant, he was later forced to stop his vehicle in a parking area near Seebenstein, where police located him following witness reports.

Upon conducting a vehicle inspection, officers discovered that the man, despite being under an active weapons ban, was in possession of a gas pistol. He has since been reported to the district administrative authority and the public prosecutor's office.