Fatal crash on A4 near Cologne – motorway closed for hours

The 37-year-old semi-truck driver was, according to current findings, uninjured. Police have not yet been able to conclusively determine the exact identity of the driver who was killed. Official information on the exact sequence of events is expected on Tuesday during the course of the day.

Full closure and traffic jam on the A4

Following the accident, the motorway was fully closed for hours between the Cologne-West interchange and the Klettenberg junction in the direction of Olpe. A long traffic jam formed. According to police, all closures have since been lifted.

A team of accident reconstruction experts began their investigation on Monday evening to reconstruct the exact cause of the crash. The Cologne police are asking any potential witnesses to come forward and are referring to the ongoing investigation.

Investigation by accident reconstruction experts

At the end of May, there had already been a similar accident in the area of the Autobahnkreuz-West interchange. At that time, a 33-year-old truck driver had rear-ended a truck standing at the end of a traffic jam and had become trapped in his cab. He was seriously injured in the process.

The current accident is reminiscent in its sequence of the incident from May: on Monday as well, a vehicle became caught between two trucks. Investigators are examining whether there are links to the traffic situation or to the end of the traffic jam on this heavily used stretch of motorway.

Another serious accident on the same stretch of road

WDR reported on the incident in the program „WDR aktuell“ on 06/15/2026 at 9:45 p.m. The Cologne police were cited as the source. The WDR video report will remain available until 06/16/2028.

The A4 is one of the most heavily used motorways in western Germany, connecting the Netherlands with Austria. In the area around the Cologne-West interchange and the Klettenberg junction, traffic congestion occurs again and again according to traffic observers, particularly during rush hour.

Police announced that further details on the course of the accident and on the identity of the deceased would be released on Tuesday. Until then, they are asking that no speculation about the cause of the accident be made.