The self-employed truck driver Niclas Nordström found himself trapped by snow on Sweden’s E22 motorway for 20 hours on Wednesday and Thursday, describing the conditions as the worst he has faced in his 30-year career.
Misjudging the Situation
Nordström, who has operated his own road freight business since the 1990s, incorrectly assumed that traffic would be cleared by the time he took the E22 on Wednesday. He came to this realization around 1:45 PM near Linderöd, joining approximately 1,000 other drivers who were also stuck.
Assumptions and Regrets
“The cause of the traffic jam had occurred long before, so I thought the police would have already diverted vehicles to other roads,” the 58-year-old shared with The Local. “I didn’t think things through. If there had been better decision-making, we wouldn’t have experienced such long delays.”
Stranded in a Blizzard
As a blizzard hit, up to 1,000 vehicles were caught on the E22 between Hörby and Kristianstad. The Armed Forces were called in to assist stranded motorists, bringing food and water to those trapped in their cars.
A Tough Night
Nordström’s truck is equipped only with a day cab, meaning he had to sleep upright in the driver’s seat. Despite this, he was in a relatively better position than those in passenger vehicles. He was en route to Lund in Skåne and then home to Olofström in Blekinge when he became stranded, lacking food and medicine in his truck.
Acts of Kindness
Fortunately, Nordström connected with a couple from Holland who graciously offered him coffee and a sandwich the next day after he expressed how hungry he was. Throughout the night, he monitored the Swedish Transport Administration’s website for updates on when the road would reopen.
Finally Breaking Free
Initially, the reopening time kept being postponed—from 8 PM to midnight, then to 2 AM the following day, and finally until 2 PM. Ultimately, around 10 AM, the Dutch driver received help from a local farmer who cleared a passageway in the snow, enabling them both to exit the motorway.
Unprecedented Conditions
Nordström noted that he had never experienced such severe snow conditions despite his extensive driving career. “I’ve never faced anything like this in 30 years. It hasn’t been this bad since Skåne was buried in snow back in 1979,” he remarked.
