Sudden icy conditions caused several accidents on motorways in Schleswig-Holstein and Lower Saxony . On 13 November 2026, police reported, among other incidents, collisions on the A7 and A23 the previous evening. On the A26 near Buxtehude another driver crashed on the morning of 13 November after a hail shower. A man was seriously injured in a collision with a lorry on the A23.
Between Lägerdorf and Hohenfelde in the Steinburg district, police recorded three accidents in a short space of time on the evening of 12 November, according to Norddeutscher Rundfunk. As well as a collision between a car and a lorry, other vehicles skidded on the slippery road. Police said some cars were still being driven on summer tyres.
On the A7 near Quickborn there were accidents on both carriageways that evening, according to the Neumünster Police Directorate . At around 19:40, a car travelling south apparently skidded because of the icy conditions, first hitting the central reservation barrier and then the outer barrier. The driver was uninjured.
At almost the same time, a driver on the opposite carriageway lost control of his car. The vehicle hit the central reservation barrier and came to a stop in the right-hand lane. A car following behind also skidded, collided with the outer barrier and then hit the stationary vehicle. Its driver was slightly injured. The driver of the second car was uninjured, police said.
In Lower Saxony, a driver was caught out on the A26 in the early hours of 13 November. Between Jork and Buxtehude, hail suddenly began, according to the Stade Police Inspectorate . The car skidded into the outer barrier and then the central reservation barrier. The driver was slightly injured. The carriageway towards Hamburg was temporarily closed while the accident was dealt with; a gritting service was requested.
The Neumünster Police Directorate urged drivers to adjust their driving to the weather conditions and make sure they have suitable tyres. The incidents show how quickly conditions can change on individual stretches of motorway when a shower passes through. The information available does not indicate whether the tyres played a role in each individual accident.
In Germany, the use of winter tyres is required depending on road conditions. In icy conditions, compacted snow, slush, black ice or frost, cars must generally have tyres on all wheels that meet the legal requirements for winter tyres. The actual road conditions are what matter, not a fixed period on the calendar. For certain types of vehicle, the German Road Traffic Regulations provide for exemptions or special rules.
Editor: Mira Cadena (Article created with AI assistance).