Drivers faced treacherous conditions on Norway's Route 7 through Hol municipality. Several vehicles became stuck in fresh snowfall during Wednesday evening.
Pal Medhus spent over thirty minutes stranded in his car. He described road conditions as mirror-smooth ice. Approximately 6-7 centimeters of new snow fell within a short period.
This marks the first substantial snowfall of the season. Road maintenance crews had not yet salted or plowed the mountain pass.
Ravn Adrian Ravndal also encountered the hazardous conditions. Traffic eventually began moving past the accident sites. He noted continuous snowfall and suggested many drivers appeared unprepared for winter conditions. Some may have forgotten to switch to winter tires.
Police operations manager Jan Tore Gregersen confirmed two separate accidents occurred on Route 7 between 8:33 PM and 8:44 PM. Neither incident resulted in personal injuries.
Gregersen observed that winter appears to have arrived suddenly. He could not predict whether the snow would remain.
The road remains open with traffic direction in place. Police contacted the road traffic center requesting immediate salting or sanding treatment.
Barbro Evensen Venhagen from the Eastern Road Traffic Center confirmed mountain areas are experiencing snowfall. One non-serious accident occurred at Kvisla in Hol where a vehicle ended up roadside. Traffic continues moving but road closure may occur during vehicle recovery.
Mountain roads become particularly dangerous during season's first snowfall. Many drivers underestimate changing conditions or delay switching to proper winter tires.