Unconscious driver steered vehicle through tunnels for 17 minutes before crash
A driver who lost consciousness drove a car through two tunnels and a bridge for 17 minutes before emergency services stopped it, and was later confirmed dead.
Around half past eight on Wednesday, authorities in Trøndelag announced a serious traffic accident on county road 714 in Orkland municipality. A car entered an emergency barrier and collided with the wall of Slørdalstunnelen, after which it kept moving at a very low speed, seemingly without driver control. The vehicle proceeded through two tunnels and a bridge, covering roughly three kilometres, before a fire service patrol physically stopped it in Slørdalstunnelen.
Emergency responders performed cardiac and lung resuscitation on the unconscious driver, who was later confirmed dead; investigators say a medical event caused the fatality, not the collision. A female passenger in her 50s was unharmed. An autopsy has been ordered for the deceased driver.
Why it matters
The incident highlights risks of medical emergencies while driving and challenges for emergency responders in tunnel environments.
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