The Icelandic Transportation Safety Board is concerned that foreign visitors lack experience driving in Icelandic conditions and fail to use seatbelts. The board studied the causes of five fatal road accidents involving foreign travellers in 2015, finding that failure to use seatbelts and unfamiliarity with road conditions were key factors.
Fatal accident on Ring Road 1 in Eldhraun lava field
The final reports on two accidents in 2015 were published today. In both accidents the victim was sitting in the passenger seat and was not buckled in. In one of the accidents, which took place in Eldhraun lava field in March 2015, two foreign women in their early 20s were driving toward the village Vík in South Iceland. The report concludes that the driver was going too fast for the conditions, which included icy spots and snowy and watery slush on the road, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle was thrown off the road and rolled over.
The passenger, a 20 year old woman, was not buckled in and was thrown out of the car. She suffered fatal injuries in the accident. The 24 year old driver, who was buckled in, suffered only minor injuries.
Second accident in South Iceland
The board finds that conditions were similar in a second accident which took place in August 2015. This accident also took place on the Ring Road, but west of Vík. A 66 year old woman, who was sitting on the passenger side in the back seat was thrown out of a car after the driver lost control of the vehicle. The woman was not wearing a seatbelt and suffered fatal injuries. The driver and two other passengers, who were wearing seatbelts, suffered non critical injuries, bruises and a broken rib.
In both cases the travellers were driving SUV's: A Suzuki Jimny mini SUV and a Suzuki Grand Vitara. The cars were both new, in good condition and appropriate for the conditions. In the March accident the car had studded winter tires.
The Transportation Safety Board concludes by calling for education of foreign visitors and more aggressive propaganda to convince them of the need to use seatbelts.
The Icelandic Transportation Safety Board is concerned that foreign visitors lack experience driving in Icelandic conditions and fail to use seatbelts. The board studied the causes of five fatal road accidents involving foreign travellers in 2015, finding that failure to use seatbelts and unfamiliarity with road conditions were key factors.
Fatal accident on Ring Road 1 in Eldhraun lava field
The final reports on two accidents in 2015 were published today. In both accidents the victim was sitting in the passenger seat and was not buckled in. In one of the accidents, which took place in Eldhraun lava field in March 2015, two foreign women in their early 20s were driving toward the village Vík in South Iceland. The report concludes that the driver was going too fast for the conditions, which included icy spots and snowy and watery slush on the road, which caused him to lose control of the vehicle. The vehicle was thrown off the road and rolled over.
The passenger, a 20 year old woman, was not buckled in and was thrown out of the car. She suffered fatal injuries in the accident. The 24 year old driver, who was buckled in, suffered only minor injuries.
Second accident in South Iceland
The board finds that conditions were similar in a second accident which took place in August 2015. This accident also took place on the Ring Road, but west of Vík. A 66 year old woman, who was sitting on the passenger side in the back seat was thrown out of a car after the driver lost control of the vehicle. The woman was not wearing a seatbelt and suffered fatal injuries. The driver and two other passengers, who were wearing seatbelts, suffered non critical injuries, bruises and a broken rib.
In both cases the travellers were driving SUV's: A Suzuki Jimny mini SUV and a Suzuki Grand Vitara. The cars were both new, in good condition and appropriate for the conditions. In the March accident the car had studded winter tires.
The Transportation Safety Board concludes by calling for education of foreign visitors and more aggressive propaganda to convince them of the need to use seatbelts.
