Horror on the motorway: One dead after car crashes into barrier and gantry, five vehicles hit debris

A 68-year-old man died after his car left control on Croatia’s A1 motorway near Čista Mala, crashed into a central safety barrier and then struck a metal support for a traffic gantry.

The crash happened at 8:35 p.m. as the man drove a car with Dubrovnik registration plates along the southbound carriageway. Entering a slight right-hand bend, he failed to adjust his speed to the road’s characteristics and condition, police said. The vehicle began to skid, crossed into the opposite lane of the southbound carriageway and hit the central barrier before colliding with the metal post. It then rebounded, spun and came to rest on the southbound lane.

The driver died at the scene from his injuries. His 58-year-old passenger suffered serious bodily injuries and remained at Šibenik General Hospital for further treatment, according to the Šibenik-Knin Police Department.

The crash also scattered parts from the vehicle across the motorway. Five passenger cars subsequently struck the debris, and investigators recorded material damage to each of them. The southbound carriageway was closed to all traffic from 10:55 p.m. until 1 a.m. while authorities conducted their investigation. Police said they would submit a report to the Šibenik State Attorney’s Office.

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The 68-year-old man died at the scene from his injuries, while the 58-year-old passenger was diagnosed with serious bodily injuries at Šibenik General Hospital and was kept for further hospital treatment.