Police warn of slippery roads after five fatal crashes in Sweden

Police are urging drivers to take care on slippery roads after five people died in crashes in western Sweden and Skåne on Monday, SVT reported.

Three fatal crashes were reported in western Sweden. A man in his 60s died after a bus and car collided near Varberg. Another man in his 60s died in a crash in Mellerud Municipality, and a woman in her 60s died in a crash on Tjörn.

Police spokesperson Johan Håkansson said patrols had reported slippery roads in the western region on Monday evening, although temperatures had not yet fallen below freezing. He said this did not mean slippery conditions had caused the fatal crashes, but urged motorists to be cautious.

Two people also died in crashes in Skåne. A man in his 70s died after a crash on the E6 north of Ängelholm, and a woman in her 20s died after her vehicle collided with a truck outside Åstorp in north-western Skåne.

The Swedish Transport Administration warned on Friday that black ice could become a risk in western Sweden. Also known as flash ice, it can be difficult to see but make roads extremely slippery. It often forms when road surfaces are cold and damp at temperatures around freezing, particularly late at night or early in the morning. Bridges, overpasses, areas near waterways and shaded stretches beside roads are especially exposed.