Snow and ice have led to numerous accidents in Bavaria over the weekend.
Several people were injured - most of them only slightly, but some seriously, as the police reported.
Snow had fallen in large parts of Bavaria since Friday evening, sometimes turning the streets into slides.
As the German Weather Service (DWD) announced on Saturday, further snowfall is expected by Sunday – from a few centimeters in the Danube region to 30 centimeters and more in the mountains.
The avalanche warning service reported that there was a great avalanche danger in the east of the Alps due to the fresh snow.
Warning level four, the second highest, was reached in individual locations in the region on Saturday.
In the Swabian town of Bad Wörishofen, a 36-year-old woman first left the road on a snow-covered road on Saturday and then drove into the oncoming lane, where there was a head-on collision.
The woman was taken to a hospital with serious injuries, the 60-year-old in the other car was slightly injured.
The Autobahn 73 near Meeder (Coburg district) was already closed for more than an hour on Friday evening due to two consecutive accidents, the police said on Saturday. A man had lost control of his car with a trailer on the snow-covered road and drove into the guardrail on the left-hand side. The impact ripped off the trailer and threw it into the ditch. A car that was approaching the scene of the accident slowed down. However, a car driving behind was unable to brake in time and crashed into the car in front. Nobody got hurt.
On the Autobahn 72 near Trogen (Hof district), a truck skidded on the snow-covered road on Saturday morning and touched several crash barriers.
Nobody was harmed during the accident.
There was property damage of 70,000 euros, as the police announced on Saturday.
Numerous accidents also in Saxony
There was also an accident between a truck and a gritting vehicle on the Autobahn 9 near Münchberg (Hof district).
Both vehicles wanted to take the freeway exit when they collided.
The tank of the truck was torn open and about 100 liters of diesel ran out.
The motorway was only passable in one lane for several hours during the rescue.
A 20-year-old driver near Michelau (Lichtenfels district) was also doomed by the snowy road. She lost control of her car on a bend and slid into oncoming traffic. She collided head-on with an oncoming car. Fortunately, no one was injured in the accident, according to police. A 20-year-old man skidded in a curve near Pretzfeld (Forchheim district) due to heavy snowfall and landed in a ditch. He suffered minor injuries, police said on Saturday.
There were also numerous traffic accidents in Saxony. The DWD had already warned of heavy snowfalls in the Ore Mountains and Vogtland last Friday. The mountains are particularly affected at altitudes over 600 meters, according to a statement on Friday. Up to 25 centimeters of fresh snow can be expected there. Roads could become impassable in places and trees could collapse under the weight of the snow. In addition, it will be smooth in many places. "Avoid all car trips," recommended the meteorologists: "Only drive with winter gear."
As the “Bild” newspaper reports, cars and buses got stuck in the snow on Saturday morning – the rescue workers only made progress with the snowmobile.
At times, the Oberwiesenthal ski area could only be reached on foot.
There was also a serious accident on the A4 near Hohenstein-Ernstthal.
According to the report, a Skoda rolled over there several times until it came to a stop behind a crash barrier in the ditch.
The driver was taken to hospital with serious injuries.