It is impossible to completely ensure accidents like Friday's tragic accident in Steinholtsá river do not happen, a spokesman for the Icelandic Road and Coastal Authority told the local TV station Stöð 2. A Chief Superintendent for the Police in South Iceland told the National Broadcasting Service RÚV that one way to reduce the risk of accidents is to ban smaller SUVs from crossing unbridged rivers.
Previously: Woman who drowned in Steinholtsá river was US citizen, on honeymoon with her husband
Roads in the Central Highlands cross countless unbridged rivers. Many wilderness areas, like Þórsmörk Nature Reserve, also have numerous unbridged rivers. These rivers often shift and change, depending on the weather and other conditions, making it both difficult to cross. Drivers who are unfamiliar with conditions should never attempt to cross on their own, and should always wait for assistance or call for help. Park Rangers stationed at cabins in the highlands are always willing to offer advice or come to the assistance of people at unbridged river crossings.
A road only suitable for 4x4s
Travelers need to cross several unbridged rivers to get to Þórsmörk Nature Reserve. A couple of signs along the road warn travelers that the road they are driving is not suitable to regular vehicles. Þórsmerkurvegur road (Road no 249, switches to F 249) leads from the Ring Road to Þórsmörk Nature Reserve. The first stop on the road is Seljalandsfoss waterfall. After driving 4.5 km (2.8 mi) to the north the paved road switches to gravel. Shortly before entering the gravel road a sign advices drivers that the road to Þórsmörk is only suitable for 4x4s.
Read more: Ask the expert: How to cross those unbridged rivers in the Central Highlands?
The gravel road then continues to Þórsmörk Nature Reserve, crossing several unbridged rivers along the way. One of these is Steinholtsá river, where Friday's accident took place. Steinholtsá is 23.5 km (14.6 mi) from Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Getting to Steinholtsá requires crossing at least nine different rivers, and possibly several more streams, depending on how much water there is in the rivers.
Dangerous crossing cannot be fixed
A sign shortly before Steinholtsá river warns drivers to show caution. The crossing over Steinholtsá is not fixed, and can therefore not be marked precisely. The authorities and Park Rangers try their best to maintain the crossing, but the nature of the river makes it impossible to prepare a permanent crossing or to mark the crossing. Sveinn Kristján Rúnarsson, Chief Superintendent with the Police in S. Iceland told RÚV that more warning and information signs are needed along the route.
More, better and more visible signs, with information in more languages are needed. These areas are simply very dangerous and these unbridged rivers can be extremely dangerous.
He told RÚV that serious accidents are fortunately very rare, but drivers who are unaccustomed to unbridged rivers and driving in Iceland frequently make mistakes when crossing unbridged rivers.
These rivers are constantly shifting and changing. A river which is easily crossed in the morning can be impassable by evening. The rivers and the crossings change hour by hour.
Ensuring accidents do not happen is difficult, he told RÚV, but banning smaller vehicles from driving some of these roads might be one solution.
I don't think bans solve all problems, but I think we should look into banning some types of vehicles on some of these roads.
A spokesman for the Icelandic Road and Coastal Authority told Stöð 2 that it was impossible to stop people from attempting to cross unbridged rivers in vehicles not suited for river crossing. We would have to post guards at every single river, and I don't think that's a realistic solution.
It is impossible to completely ensure accidents like Friday's tragic accident in Steinholtsá river do not happen, a spokesman for the Icelandic Road and Coastal Authority told the local TV station Stöð 2. A Chief Superintendent for the Police in South Iceland told the National Broadcasting Service RÚV that one way to reduce the risk of accidents is to ban smaller SUVs from crossing unbridged rivers.
Previously: Woman who drowned in Steinholtsá river was US citizen, on honeymoon with her husband
Roads in the Central Highlands cross countless unbridged rivers. Many wilderness areas, like Þórsmörk Nature Reserve, also have numerous unbridged rivers. These rivers often shift and change, depending on the weather and other conditions, making it both difficult to cross. Drivers who are unfamiliar with conditions should never attempt to cross on their own, and should always wait for assistance or call for help. Park Rangers stationed at cabins in the highlands are always willing to offer advice or come to the assistance of people at unbridged river crossings.
A road only suitable for 4x4s
Travelers need to cross several unbridged rivers to get to Þórsmörk Nature Reserve. A couple of signs along the road warn travelers that the road they are driving is not suitable to regular vehicles. Þórsmerkurvegur road (Road no 249, switches to F 249) leads from the Ring Road to Þórsmörk Nature Reserve. The first stop on the road is Seljalandsfoss waterfall. After driving 4.5 km (2.8 mi) to the north the paved road switches to gravel. Shortly before entering the gravel road a sign advices drivers that the road to Þórsmörk is only suitable for 4x4s.
Read more: Ask the expert: How to cross those unbridged rivers in the Central Highlands?
The gravel road then continues to Þórsmörk Nature Reserve, crossing several unbridged rivers along the way. One of these is Steinholtsá river, where Friday's accident took place. Steinholtsá is 23.5 km (14.6 mi) from Seljalandsfoss waterfall. Getting to Steinholtsá requires crossing at least nine different rivers, and possibly several more streams, depending on how much water there is in the rivers.
Dangerous crossing cannot be fixed
A sign shortly before Steinholtsá river warns drivers to show caution. The crossing over Steinholtsá is not fixed, and can therefore not be marked precisely. The authorities and Park Rangers try their best to maintain the crossing, but the nature of the river makes it impossible to prepare a permanent crossing or to mark the crossing. Sveinn Kristján Rúnarsson, Chief Superintendent with the Police in S. Iceland told RÚV that more warning and information signs are needed along the route.
More, better and more visible signs, with information in more languages are needed. These areas are simply very dangerous and these unbridged rivers can be extremely dangerous.
He told RÚV that serious accidents are fortunately very rare, but drivers who are unaccustomed to unbridged rivers and driving in Iceland frequently make mistakes when crossing unbridged rivers.
These rivers are constantly shifting and changing. A river which is easily crossed in the morning can be impassable by evening. The rivers and the crossings change hour by hour.
Ensuring accidents do not happen is difficult, he told RÚV, but banning smaller vehicles from driving some of these roads might be one solution.
I don't think bans solve all problems, but I think we should look into banning some types of vehicles on some of these roads.
A spokesman for the Icelandic Road and Coastal Authority told Stöð 2 that it was impossible to stop people from attempting to cross unbridged rivers in vehicles not suited for river crossing. We would have to post guards at every single river, and I don't think that's a realistic solution.
