A 31-year-old man was found unconscious at the wheel after driving several kilometres in the wrong direction on an Italian motorway near the border with Slovenia.

The serious incident, which occurred during the night, prompted an urgent response from local road police due to the extreme danger posed to other road users.

Alarm

The alarm was triggered at the operations centre of the Udine Traffic Police following a report of a vehicle travelling against traffic on the motorway heading toward the Italian-Slovenian border. Officers from the Trieste Traffic Police quickly intervened and located the vehicle stationary in a live traffic lane, facing the opposite direction of travel. Inside the car, police discovered the driver slumped over the steering wheel in an unconscious state. He was immediately assessed using a breathalyser, which revealed a blood alcohol level five times the legal limit.

Behavior

The seriousness of the situation became clear when officers confirmed that the man had come to a stop in the overtaking lane, under the false impression that he was in the correct direction of travel. His actions not only endangered his own life but also posed a grave threat to other motorway users. The driver has been formally reported for driving under the influence of alcohol and for contravening Italy’s Highway Code by driving in the wrong direction on a motorway. His driving licence was revoked on the spot and the vehicle was seized.

Attention

Authorities took the opportunity to remind the public of the importance of observing motorway warning signs. In the event of alerts indicating a wrong-way driver, motorists are urged to reduce speed, stay in the far-right lane, and, if possible, exit the carriageway by pulling into a service or rest area until the danger passes.