Iceland struggles with unsafe roads as accidents highlight urgent need for upgrades

A significant portion of Iceland’s national roads is undersized, contributing to serious accidents, including a fatal incident last year on Snæfellsnesvegur in West Iceland. The road has sections narrower than required regulations, with a crucial report indicating that a driver dozed off at the wheel and crashed into a parked vehicle, resulting in the death of a 50-year-old passenger.

The national government agency responsible for road maintenance, Vegagerðin, recognizes the urgent need for road upgrades across the country. More than 2,000 kilometers of roads have pavement that exceeds its intended lifespan, with many requiring reinforcement and widening. Current design rules state that major roads should have a minimum width of eight meters to accommodate increasing traffic, yet many existing roads fail to meet these standards.

In recent years, traffic volume has surged significantly, with the ring road seeing average daily traffic potentially reaching up to 2,350 vehicles in summer, far exceeding the designed capacity of 500 vehicles per day for narrower roads. Over half of the load-bearing layers on the roads are over 20 years old, with some exceeding 30 years despite being designed for only two to three decades of use.

While regulations are in place, they are often not adhered to during upgrades, leading to concerns about road safety and infrastructure integrity. Increased vehicle traffic on major highways highlights the pressing need for enhanced road construction and maintenance to prevent future tragedies.