The self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström faced a lengthy ordeal, stranded for 20 hours on Sweden’s E22 motorway due to heavy snow, which he described as the worst weather experience of his 30-year career.
Since the 1990s, Nordström has operated his own freight business. On Wednesday, he mistakenly assumed traffic on the E22 would be cleared by the time he arrived. Along with about 1,000 other drivers, he came to a standstill near Linderöd around 1:45 PM.
“I thought the police would have already redirected traffic since the initial blockage occurred earlier,” the 58-year-old told The Local. “I didn’t think it through well enough. A little more quick thinking could have prevented the long queues.”
As a blizzard hit the region, up to 1,000 vehicles became stuck on the E22 between Hörby and Kristianstad. The Armed Forces had to intervene, helping people evacuate their cars and providing food and water to those still trapped.
Nordström’s truck is equipped with only a day cab—lacking a bed—so he had to sleep sitting up. However, he found his situation better than those in passenger vehicles. On his way to Lund in Skåne and then home to Olofström in Blekinge county, he lacked food and medication, relying on the kindness of others for help.
During his time stranded, he befriended a couple from Holland who provided him with coffee and a sandwich after he mentioned he was very hungry. He spent the night checking the Swedish Transport Administration website for updates on the road’s reopening, only to find the estimated time continually pushed back.
Eventually, around 10 AM, the Dutchman received assistance from a local farmer, who cleared a path through the snow. They both drove through this makeshift opening, going the wrong way down the opposite lane, using warning lights until they reached a clear road.
“We both managed to escape through the opening, driving against the traffic, but there was no danger since the road was otherwise empty. It was our initiative that allowed us to get out; otherwise, we might still be there,” Nordström reflected. He noted that he had never experienced such harsh weather conditions before in his years of driving, recalling that Skåne hasn’t faced anything this severe since 1979.
