The self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström found himself stuck in snow on Sweden’s E22 motorway for 20 hours on Wednesday and Thursday, describing the conditions as the worst he has experienced in his 30-year career.
Nordström, who has operated his own road freight business since the 1990s, initially thought that the traffic obstruction would be resolved when he took the E22 on Wednesday. However, along with about 1,000 other drivers, he quickly realized his mistake when traffic came to a standstill near Linderöd around 1:45 PM.
“I presumed the police would have redirected the traffic well before this point,” the 58-year-old told The Local. “In hindsight, I didn’t think it through enough. A bit more quick thinking could have prevented the lengthy delays.”
As a severe blizzard hit the region, around 1,000 vehicles found themselves stranded on the E22 between Hörby and Kristianstad. The Armed Forces were mobilized to assist with evacuations and provide food and water to those trapped.
Nordström’s truck features only a day cab, lacking a bed, forcing him to sleep sitting at the wheel. However, he felt he had it easier compared to those stuck in passenger vehicles. Although he was en route to Lund in Skåne and then home to Olofström in Blekinge, he had no food or medicine and depended on the kindness of others for assistance.
“Various people were around, and I made friends with a couple from Holland who helped me the next day. I told them I was extremely hungry, and they kindly invited me in for coffee and a sandwich,” he shared.
Throughout the night, he monitored the Swedish Transport Administration’s website for updates on when the road would reopen. “The expected reopening time kept getting pushed further back. It went from 8 PM, then midnight, then 2 AM, and finally 2 PM the next day,” he recounted.
Finally, around 10 AM, the Dutch couple received assistance from a local farmer, who cleared a three-meter-wide path through the snow. They drove through it in the wrong direction, using their hazard lights, until they found a drivable road. “We both made it out, defying the traffic rules, but with no other vehicles around, it was safe. We only escaped because we took the initiative; otherwise, we could still be stuck there,” he remarked.
Having primarily driven in the southern counties of Skåne and Blekinge, Nordström stated he has never encountered snow conditions like those he faced that day. “In my 30 years of driving, I’ve never seen anything like it. Such severe weather hasn’t hit Skåne since 1979, when the region was buried under snow,” he concluded.
