Winter Storm Causes Accidents and Traffic Disruptions in Southwest Germany
Hohenlohekreis:
A tragic incident occurred in the evening on Thursday, when a 76-year-old woman lost her life after her car plunged into a river. According to police reports, her vehicle collided with an oncoming car on the Bundesstraße 19 near Dörzbach due to the snow-covered and slippery road conditions. The impact caused her car to veer off the road, where it subsequently rolled into the Jagst River. The vehicle floated downstream before eventually submerging. Firefighters were dispatched to the scene and regretfully discovered the driver deceased.
Kirchberg an der Jagst:
A second major incident took place on the same evening, involving a semi-trailer truck on the Autobahn 6. The truck was attempting to change lanes when it spun out of control. Police investigations revealed that the 39-year-old driver may have been traveling at an excessive speed. The truck collided with the guardrail and came to a halt perpendicular to the roadway. The impact breached the fuel tank, resulting in a significant amount of diesel spilling onto the road.
Pforzheim:
In the area covered by the Pforzheim Police Department, approximately 15 weather-related incidents were reported between Thursday evening and Friday morning, resulting in minor injuries.
Rems-Murr-Kreis and Schwäbisch Hall:
The police in Aalen responded to approximately 20 accidents, primarily in the Rems-Murr-Kreis and Schwäbisch Hall districts. In one particularly severe incident, a 20-year-old driver was seriously injured when her car skidded off the road in Kirchberg an der Murr. The driver lost control of her vehicle due to slippery road conditions and excessive speed, causing it to spin and come to rest on its side in the opposing lane of traffic. Firefighters were called to the scene and freed the injured woman from her vehicle.
Another accident in Waiblingen (Rems-Murr-Kreis) involved a 66-year-old man whose car slid off the icy road, striking a traffic island before colliding head-on with an oncoming vehicle. Fortunately, both drivers escaped unhurt.
A81:
The snow also posed significant challenges for heavy goods vehicles on the A81 motorway, as reported by the Konstanz police. Several trucks became stuck in the Schwarzwald-Baar-Kreis, leading to traffic delays, although the road remained open.
Conclusion:
The sudden onset of winter weather led to a series of accidents and traffic disruptions in the southwest region of Germany. The authorities urge drivers to exercise extreme caution when traveling in these challenging conditions, especially on snow-covered and icy roads.
