Ö3 Traffic Awards honor road safety heroes in Austria

The 24th Ö3 Traffic Awards were held at the Ö3 House in Küniglberg to honor individuals and organizations for their courage and commitment to road safety. The awards were presented by officials including Interior Minister Gerhard Karner, Minister for Innovation, Mobility and Infrastructure Peter Hanke, Ö3 station manager Michael Pauser, and ORF Director-designate Clemens Pig.

Christian Engel from Lessach was named ‘Ö3ver of the Year’ for his decisive actions during a vehicle fire in the Gleinalm Tunnel. Engel, a veteran firefighter, parked his truck to allow emergency access and retrieved a fire hose to assist at the scene.

Other award recipients included Alexander Mayr and Markus Edlbauer for the police category, the Villach-Land District Fire Brigade for the fire department category, and the Zams road maintenance crew. The innovation award was shared by EYYES GmbH, ASFINAG, and ÖAMTC.