No Single Reason for Konginkangas Crash
Image: YLE24
Most of the victims were young people going on a skiing holiday to Lapland. A further 15 people were injured. It was the worst single road accident in Finnish history.
Accident investigators say in their report, published on Thursday, that no single factor was to blame for the crash. They list, however, a total of 32 major or minor factors.
The report says the truck driver lost control of his vehicle, while the coach driver made an observational error. Road conditions were icy at the time when the trailer of the truck started to swerve. Despite efforts by the driver to bring the vehicle under control, its trailer veered across the path of the on-coming coach. The cargo of heavy paper reels catapulted into the coach with tragic consequences.
Investigators Make Safety Recommendations
The investigating board made a total of 17 safety recommendations. It suggests that trucks should not exceed a speed limit of 80 kilometres per hour. The current limit is 90 km per hour.
They also call for stricter training for drivers to deal with similar situations in the future.
The State Prosecutor is considering whether to press charges against the driver of the articulated truck.