A mother and daughter have died following a traffic accident on the Mattersburg expressway (S4) near Katzenlsdorf, Lower Austria, on Monday. The victims were a 49-year-old woman and her 16-year-old daughter, who were in a car that was hit head-on by a truck driven by a 65-year-old. The articulated lorry had previously crossed a double barrier line. The truck driver was seriously injured and taken to the hospital, and several other people were slightly injured in the accident.
According to the police, the truck driver was traveling to Burgenland from Hungary via the southern autobahn (A2), while the woman was driving in the opposite direction with her daughter as a passenger. The heavy vehicle first touched the right guardrail, causing it to swerve to the left and collide with the car, pressing it against a guardrail and transporting it under the semitrailer. The mother and daughter died at the scene, while the truck driver was thrown out of the driver’s cab and suffered serious injuries.
Calls for a central partition on the S4 have been growing louder since the accident. A project for a central partition has been pending since 2019, but delays caused by complaints with the Federal Administrative Court and the Administrative Court have pushed the start of construction to autumn 2025, with completion possible in 2028.
Lower Austrian LH deputy Udo Landbauer (FPÖ), who is responsible for transport, called for more speed in the implementation of the project planned by Asfinag. He said that the tragic accident on Monday highlights the urgency of the project and that he is committed to ensuring that everyone involved finally gets going and starts expanding security.
The S4 was closed from around 8 a.m. until just after 4 p.m. on the day of the accident, and traffic was diverted to federal and state roads. The accident caused several other people to suffer slight injuries.
This tragic accident highlights the urgent need for a central partition on the S4, as it could prevent similar accidents in the future. The delays in implementing the project have caused concern, and politicians are calling for more speed in the process.
The accident caused significant traffic disruptions and affected many people, including those who were injured. The Lower Austria State Police Directorate is continuing to investigate the accident to determine the exact cause and to ensure that measures are put in place to prevent similar incidents from happening again.