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Drunk driver crashes in Neukieritzsch: eCall saves lives!
A very drunk 41-year-old had an accident in Neukieritzsch near Leipzig. The eCall system alerts the emergency services.
Drunk driver crashes in Neukieritzsch: eCall saves lives!
On Monday night, a serious traffic accident occurred on federal highway 176 near Neukieritzsch, south of Leipzig, which was characterized by the driver's serious alcohol problem. The 41-year-old driver was very drunk and had a breath alcohol concentration of almost three per thousand. This resulted in his vehicle lurching across a roundabout, overturning and ending up on its side, approximately eight meters from the original scene of the accident. After the incident, the automatic eCall system, which is essential for quickly rescuing accident victims, informed the emergency services about the location of the accident and the situation in the vehicle. This is particularly important as the eCall system is intended to enable rapid response times by emergency services, which, according to EU estimates, can save around 2,500 lives every year. The use of the automatic emergency call system has been mandatory for new cars in the EU since March 31, 2018 and uses a combination of GPS and mobile phone technology.
Although the driver was slightly injured, he was uncooperative and initially refused medical treatment. However, on the instructions of the emergency doctor, he was taken to a clinic. His vehicle suffered material damage of around 12,000 euros as a result of the accident. In addition to violating traffic rules due to high levels of alcohol, he is now also being investigated for endangering road traffic.
The role of the eCall system
The eCall system plays a crucial role in saving lives after accidents. It automatically sends an emergency call as soon as a serious accident is detected and transmits important information such as the time of the accident, the vehicle identification number and the exact position of the vehicle. This functionality alone is crucial for emergency services as it saves valuable time. What is particularly noteworthy is that eCall is not activated in the event of minor damage or parking collisions. Drivers also have the option of manually pressing the SOS button to call for help, increasing the likelihood of a quick response.
Despite the potential privacy concerns, it is important to emphasize that eCall is designed as a “sleeping system” under the regulations. It only becomes active if an accident actually occurs. Older vehicles do not have this system integrated, but there are alternatives such as the accident reporting service (UMD), which can also make an emergency call in the event of an accident, but requires more technical requirements.