Old spare tyre may have contributed to fatal Suonenjoki crash

An old spare tyre fitted during the journey may have contributed to a fatal crash near Suonenjoki, police investigator Arto Elomaa told Yle. Rain and poor visibility in the dim conditions are also thought to have played a part.

A passenger car collided with a motorhome on Highway 9, about 15 kilometres from Suonenjoki towards Jyväskylä. Both vehicles had a driver and a passenger. The passenger car’s middle-aged driver died.

The passenger told police that the car had picked them up in Jyväskylä. On the return journey, near the Tiinan Tupa rest stop, a tyre punctured and the driver and passenger changed it for the spare. Markings on the spare showed it was more than 16 years old, Elomaa said.

The passenger does not remember the crash, having been on the phone at the time. They became aware of what had happened when an ambulance arrived. The investigation continues, including work to establish the driver’s cause of death. An accident investigation board will examine the vehicle.