A seemingly minor skid on a wintry road in Waidhofen/Thaya,Austria,cascaded into a four-vehicle collision at 9:18 p.m. on Thayastrasse, thankfully resulting in no injuries but significant property damage.
Chain Reaction on Thayastrasse
A driver losing control sparked a domino affect involving four vehicles,highlighting the dangers of slick road conditions.
The incident began when the driver of a Kia EV6 reportedly skidded on a right-hand bend due too the weather. Despite applying the brakes, the vehicle slid, initially colliding with a curb. The Kia then continued it’s uncontrolled slide, impacting a parked Opel head-on in front of a car workshop. The force of the impact propelled the Opel backwards, crashing through the workshop’s showroom window and into a new car. That new car, in turn, collided with another vehicle inside the showroom.
Did you know?– Austria requires winter tires on vehicles between November 1 and April 10, or all-wheel drive with winter-appropriate tires, to ensure safer driving in snowy conditions.
Emergency responders quickly secured and illuminated the scene. Once police gave the all-clear, firefighters carefully removed shattered glass from the building’s facade to prevent injuries during the recovery operation. A loading crane was used to lift the Kia EV6 and move it to a secure location on the company premises. The Opel was also lifted, using ramps to allow the workshop owner to drive it out of the showroom. The two additional damaged vehicles remained in the showroom, awaiting further assessment.
After the vehicles were removed and debris cleared from the forecourt and showroom,firefighters focused on sealing the breach in the showroom wall. Materials were transported from the fire department’s staging area and used to tightly close the opening.
Pro tip– Reduce your speed significantly when driving in winter conditions. Even with winter tires, braking distances are longer on snow and ice.
The emergency response concluded shortly after 11 p.m., with the team redeployed.
Resources deployed:
Waidhofen/Thaya volunteer fire department with advance equipment vehicle, supply vehicle, assistance vehicle, swap loading vehicle and 18 members
Waidhofen/thaya police with a vehicle
What happens when winter weather meets a slippery road? This incident demonstrates how quickly a loss of control can escalate, even at low speeds, resulting in a multi-vehicle accident and considerable damage.
reader question– Have you ever experienced a near miss while driving in winter weather? Share your thoughts on how to stay safe on the roads.
- A Kia EV6 skidded on Thayastrasse in Waidhofen/Thaya, Austria, initiating a chain-reaction collision.
- The accident involved four vehicles and caused significant damage to the ve
