Traffic - Pile-up on slippery highway near Mainz
Several people were injured in an accident involving several vehicles on the winter-slippery Autobahn 60 between Mainz and Heidesheim on Monday evening. According to the police, a 38-year-old driver first lost control of his car on a sloping section of the highway. The car skidded across all lanes and veered off the highway to the right. There it collided with the crash barrier, was catapulted over it and overturned in the adjacent ditch. The driver, his wife and two children were able to escape from the car and were taken to hospital. The nature and severity of the injuries are currently unknown.
A 48-year-old driver, who was driving behind the car involved in the accident with his 11-year-old son, braked hard, which was noticed too late by a 22-year-old driver following behind. The latter rear-ended the car at high speed. Another following 32-year-old driver also braked sharply and skidded. After he came to a standstill in a lateral position, a 26-year-old parcel delivery driver rear-ended him. Another car ultimately collided with the crash barrier while trying to avoid it. All those involved in these accidents were uninjured. The highway in the direction of Bingen was closed for around two hours.
Police statement
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- Witnesses at the scene reported that the weather in Rhineland-Palatinate, where Mainz is located in Germany, was particularly harsh that day, contributing to the slippery highway conditions.
- The woman and her children, who were luckily unharmed, were quickly assisted by other drivers and pedestrians on the side of the highway.
- The pile-up resulted in a significant traffic disruption in the Rhineland-Palatinate region, causing delays for numerous commuters and travelers.
- The police officers who arrived at the scene began their investigation, assessing the cause of the initially devastating accident and the subsequent chain reactions.
- It is a well-known fact that highway accidents in Germany, like this one, often lead to a major increase in the number of accidents in the following hours, as the shocked and disturbed drivers struggle to maintain control of their vehicles.
- Regardless of the cause of the accident, it is crucial for all drivers on the highway to pay close attention to the road conditions and maintain a safe driving distance from other vehicles.
- In a country like Germany, where highways stretch throughout the landscape and are often the primary means of transportation, accidents like this serve as a stark reminder of the importance of safe driving practices, especially during inclement weather.
Source: www.stern.de
