Police Confiscate Over 100 Driver’s Licenses in Large-Scale Check Following Nova Rock

A recent large-scale traffic control operation carried out around the Nova Rock Festival led to the shocking outcome of over 100 driver’s licenses being temporarily suspended. The operation took place near Bruck an der Leitha, where a total of 104 licenses were confiscated, primarily due to drug-impaired drivers. This crackdown occurred during a four-day focus operation targeting drivers under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

The results of the operation were alarming, with 80 drivers identified as impaired by drugs out of 86 clinical examinations conducted. Additionally, nine drivers refused to undergo the examination. Alcohol-related offenses were relatively low, with only four drivers out of 565 tests found to be intoxicated.

Two drivers caught the attention of the police for engaging in a street race on the Eastern Motorway, reaching speeds exceeding 233 km/h. Consequently, their licenses were also suspended, along with nine other drivers reported for their lack of physical or mental fitness to drive.

Aside from the focus on drug and alcohol-related offenses, experts also inspected vehicles for technical defects. During the examination of 30 vehicles, 100 serious defects and 50 defects posing imminent danger were discovered. This led to the confiscation of 17 license plates and the collection of security deposits totaling approximately 15,000 euros.

The collaborative effort involved police forces from Lower Austria, Vienna, and Upper Austria, as well as support from officers from Germany and Switzerland, totaling over 70 emergency personnel. The State Police Directorate of Lower Austria deemed the operation a success, highlighting the significance of such controls surrounding major events like the Nova Rock Festival.