| Time | 14:15 |
|---|---|
| Location | Lambourn, Berkshire England |
| Reported injuries | 25 |
| Reported death(s) | 10 |
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M4 motorway crash
Location in Berkshire and England
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At 14:15 hours on Wednesday 13 March 1991[1] there was a major crash on the M4 Motorway in the southernmost part of Lambourn near Hungerford between the Membury Service Station and Junction 14 on the eastbound carriageway. A van driver fell asleep at the wheel and skidded into the central crash barrier on the right hand (overtaking) lane. This obstruction was seen by the car behind him, which managed to change lanes and avoid contact. However, the cars behind were travelling at high speed (an average of 70 miles (110 km) per hour) in patchy fog and many were only one or two car lengths behind the vehicle in front. As a result they had no time to avoid the van, crashed and span out of control into the other lanes. Others took evasive action by driving onto the hard shoulder and up the sides of the cutting. These were followed by articulated lorries, one of which jack-knifed sideways across all three lanes of the motorway.
One driver – Alan Bateman – managed to free himself from his car and ran back down the central reservation to warn others, but was ignored and was even hooted by some drivers as they continued towards the crash.[2] The crash included 51 vehicles and lasted 19 seconds. Car fuel was ignited along with the combustable material being carried in one of the vans and the eastbound motorway was closed for four days as the melted wreckage was cut away and the tarmac replaced. Ten people were killed and 25 were injured [3] There were three minor crashes caused by distracted drivers on the other side of the motorway. It was particularly noted at the time that there were more people killed and injured in the crash than in the British Army from enemy fire in the Gulf War. According to the BBC there has not been a larger road crash in the UK since .[4]
In Parliament, Sir Michael McNair-Wilson MP asked why the Thames Valley and Wiltshire Police Forces had not turned on the motorway hazard lights to warn drivers of the fog, but the Under-Secretary for Transport Christopher Chope MP stated that these were only used for hazards not readily apparent to drivers and not adverse weather conditions.[5] The crash led to hazard lights being used to warn drivers of fog on British motorways.