Woman drives wrong way on West Coast Road, causing fatal accident near Akranes

A woman in her seventies is believed to have been unconscious when she drove onto the wrong side of the road on the West Coast Road in December, resulting in a fatal accident. The incident occurred near the intersection with Skipanes Road, north of Akranes.

The accident involved a Toyota Yaris that crossed into the left lane, colliding head-on with a Volvo S40. Following the crash, the Toyota spun and ended on the northbound lane, while the Volvo was thrown off the road. The 66-year-old driver of the Toyota died at the scene, while the driver and passenger in the Volvo sustained serious injuries. All individuals involved were wearing seatbelts.

The investigation revealed that the speed of the Toyota prior to the collision reached 105 km/h, and just two seconds before the accident, the driver began to react to the impending danger, applying the brakes. The vehicle’s speed at the time of impact was estimated at 80 km/h. Investigators suggest that the driver may have been distracted, semi-conscious, or possibly asleep moments before the crash.

No road markings were present at the accident site, but following the incident, new markings have been added between the lanes on that stretch of road. Investigators noted that if the markings had existed at the time, they might have created vibration feedback within the vehicle, potentially alerting the driver to the lane deviation.