Because of extremely foggy conditions on Wednesday morning December 28, 2022, dozens of vehicles crashed in a major car pileup on a bridge in the central Chinese city of Zhengzhou in Henan province, with one person reportedly dead.
Authorities now believe that fog was a factor in the collision that ultimately decreased vehicles’ visibility and prevented them from spotting the pileup in the road before it was too late to halt. Images and videos shared on social media showed a number of cars and trucks piled on top of one another and crushed on the Zhengxin Huanghe Bridge, many with broken windshields. In a snapshot from CCTV footage, one car was dramatically jack-knifed in the middle of a pileup.
At the scene of the disaster, several people were hurt and trapped, and the fire department was on the bridge. According to local news, first estimates from the rescuers on the scene indicate that the pileup involved more than 200 automobiles, that the injured were taken to a hospital for treatment, and that one person died.
There was no additional information about casualties or reported injuries.
According to the local meteorological service, visibility was less than 500 meters (1,640 feet) in many places, including Zhengzhou, and 200 meters in certain places this morning. The neighborhood fire department quickly sent 11 fire engines and 66 fire rescue workers to the scene.
It’s a disturbing reminder that tragedies can happen quickly and unexpectedly, as the sight of pedestrians walking around in front of smoking cars.
Even in good conditions, a mistake in judgment or poor choice can have disastrous results like this one. This incident serves as an important lesson for drivers about the importance of driving safely in foggy conditions. It also acts as a reminder to stay alert at all times, to give other drivers plenty of room, and to always be aware of your surroundings.
It can be quite challenging to drive safely under challenging conditions, such as thick fog. Drivers who may have been under the influence of alcohol or marijuana may have been even worse off because they would have had more difficulties controlling their cars. We should all prioritize safety when getting behind the wheel as the authorities continue to look into what caused the severe pileup. The Zhengzhou bridge incident is an example of the risks drivers can face when traveling in bad weather.
It’s important to keep safety in mind at all times when driving, as fatalities from car accidents are one of the leading causes of death worldwide.
25 days till chinese New Year. Zhengxin Yellow River Bridge in ☭#china‘s Zhengzhou (home of deadly man-made floods in 2021 killing 10k & recent Foxconn “Great Escape”), more than 400 vehicles collided in a row due to reckless drivers, heavy fog & black ice on the road. pic.twitter.com/P9DNZRg1XT
— Northrop Gundam ∀☭⃠ (@GundamNorthrop) December 28, 2022
Sources: AWM, TheGuardian, Reuters