Deadly head-on collision shuts down State Road 3172 near Heringen

Winter roads turned deadly when two cars smashed into each other on a snowy stretch. Now, investigators are piecing together what went wrong—and when the highway will reopen.

, and Administrator

2026 January 12 . 3:04 AM

1 min read

The image shows a car that has been involved in a crash on the side of the road, surrounded by... — The image shows a car that has been involved in a crash on the side of the road, surrounded by snow. There are people standing around the car, and in the background there are trees and a pole.

Deadly head-on collision shuts down State Road 3172 near Heringen

A serious head-on crash took place on State Road 3172 on Saturday afternoon. The collision, involving two car, happened between Philippsthal–Harnrode and Heringen (Werra)–Lengers at around 3:40 p.m. Emergency crews and police are now working at the scene.

The accident occurred when a Škoda Superb and an Audi A4 collided. Both vehicles were registered in the Hersfeld-Rotenburg district. Investigators believe snowdrifts may have pushed one of the car into the path of oncoming traffic.

One person suffered injuries in the crash. The road remains fully closed, and drivers are being directed along local diversions.

Authorities have not released the names of those involved. The road closure is expected to continue while recovery work is completed. Updates on the injured person’s condition have not yet been provided.