The self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström found himself stranded by snow on Sweden’s E22 motorway for 20 hours on Wednesday and Thursday, describing the experience as the worst weather he has endured in his 30-year career.
Having operated his own road freight business since the 1990s, Nordström said he mistakenly believed that the traffic obstruction would be resolved when he took the E22 on Wednesday. He realized his error at around 1:45 PM along with approximately 1,000 other drivers when he encountered a standstill near Linderöd.
“The cause of the traffic jam had occurred much earlier, so I assumed the police had already intervened to redirect vehicles to alternative routes,” the 58-year-old shared with The Local. “But I didn’t think it through. If there had been quicker decision-making, this could have been avoided. The queues wouldn’t have been so lengthy.”
As blizzard conditions raged, around 1,000 vehicles became stuck on the E22 between Hörby and Kristianstad. The Armed Forces were called in to assist stranded motorists and deliver food and water to those still caught in the snow.
Nordström’s truck features a day cab without a sleeping space, forcing him to sit upright at the wheel to rest. However, he noted he was in a better position than those in passenger vehicles. On his way to Lund in Skåne and then home to Olofström in Blekinge County, he had no food or medication in his truck and had to depend on others for help.
“I met various people during the ordeal. A couple from Holland helped me the next day after I mentioned how hungry I was. They kindly invited me in for coffee and a sandwich,” he said.
During the night, he kept checking the Swedish Transport Administration’s website for updates on when the road would reopen. “The time kept getting pushed back. Initially, it was set for 8 PM, then midnight, followed by 2 AM, and finally 2 PM the following day,” he explained.
Ultimately, around 10 AM, the Dutch couple received assistance from a local farmer who carved a three-meter-wide passage through the snow, allowing them to escape the motorway. They then drove against traffic down the opposite lane, using their hazard lights, until they reached a road that was navigable.
“Both the Dutchman and I managed to drive out through the cleared path. While technically we were going the wrong way, it was safe since there was no other traffic. Our initiative was what liberated us; otherwise, we might still be stuck there,” Nordström said. Given his experience driving primarily in southern Skåne and Blekinge, he noted, “I’ve never faced anything like this in my 30 years of driving. The last time Skåne experienced such severe weather was in 1979.”
