The self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström experienced a harrowing 20-hour ordeal when he became snowbound on Sweden’s E22 motorway on Wednesday and Thursday. He described the weather as the most severe he has faced in his 30-year career.
Nordström, who has operated his own road freight business since the 1990s, mistakenly assumed that the traffic on the E22 would be cleared when he set off on Wednesday. He quickly realized his error, along with approximately 1,000 other drivers, when traffic came to a standstill near Linderöd around 1:45 PM.
“The cause of the jam had occurred much earlier, so I thought the police would have redirected traffic by then,” the 58-year-old told The Local. “I didn’t think it through. A bit more quick thinking could have avoided this situation, and we wouldn’t have faced such long delays.”
As a blizzard ravaged the region, up to 1,000 vehicles were trapped on the E22 between Hörby and Kristianstad. The Armed Forces were called in to assist, helping evacuate stranded motorists and supplying food and water to those still waiting.
Sleeping Situation
Nordström’s truck is fitted with a day cab, which lacks a bed, forcing him to sleep upright while at the wheel. However, he felt he had it better than drivers of passenger cars. With no food or medicine on board, he had to depend on the kindness of others for assistance.
Unexpected Hospitality
Among the stranded were a couple from Holland who helped him the next day. “I mentioned I was very hungry, and they kindly invited me in for coffee and a sandwich,” he recounted.
Waiting Game
As he awaited news on when the road would reopen, he checked the Swedish Transport Administration’s website. “The expected opening kept getting pushed back—first 8 PM, then midnight, then 2 AM, and finally to 2 PM the next day,” he shared.
Escape from the Chaos
Eventually, at around 10 AM, the Dutch couple received assistance from a local farmer, who created a three-meter-wide path through the snow. Together, they drove down the opposite lane with flashing warning lights until they reached an accessible road.
“We took the initiative to drive out against traffic, but there was no risk as the road was clear. Without our quick thinking, we could still be stuck there,” said Nordström. He expressed that he has never encountered such extreme snow conditions in his three decades of driving, noting that the last comparable weather in Skåne was in 1979.
