Serious crash on Riga bypass near Upeslejas leaves car overturned

A serious road accident took place around midday on Wednesday, 21 October, on the Riga bypass, close to the turn-off to Upeslejas. The crash blocked one lane for several hours. The incident was reported by the 360TV programme "Sadursme 360", which used footage from passing drivers who recorded the aftermath while stuck in the resulting traffic jam.

How the collision happened

The driver of a Volkswagen towing a trailer described the events. He was travelling from the direction of the A6 highway towards Līči. Ahead of him, another motorist was making a left turn at a T-shaped junction, so an Opel in front of him braked very hard. Because his vehicle was heavier with the trailer attached, he began braking early. Before he had come to a complete stop, he noticed in his mirror a white minibus approaching quickly, and a heavy impact followed.

The injured

The Volkswagen driver came to his senses with the vehicle upside down. His wife was injured and taken to hospital: as the car fell onto its side, she struck her elbow on the asphalt. The man believes the trailer absorbed part of the blow. In his words, everyone is intact, and the driver of the vehicle behind appeared to be fine. He added that they did not hit the car ahead, as enough distance had remained between the vehicles.

Police have not yet provided further information on the causes of the accident.