Twelve-year-old girl dies after wrong-way crash on the A45

Investigations into the cause of the accident

The exact circumstances that led to the wrong-way driving remain unclear. The public prosecutor's office has commissioned an expert to reconstruct the precise sequence of the accident. Investigators are examining, among other things, whether the woman drove onto the autobahn in the wrong direction by mistake or whether health issues played a role.

The A45 is one of the heavily travelled autobahns in Hesse and is repeatedly the scene of serious accidents. In the current case, the collision triggered a major deployment of rescue services, firefighters and police. The autobahn was fully closed for several hours.

Following the girl's death on Tuesday evening, the number of fatalities in the accident has risen to three. In addition to the twelve-year-old girl and the 34-year-old wrong-way driver, the 70-year-old man from the oncoming car also died. Three other family members of the woman — her husband and two children — continue to receive intensive medical treatment.

Three other injured in life-threatening condition

The Mittelhessen Police asked on Tuesday that people refrain from speculating about the cause of the accident while the investigations continue. The authority announced that further details would be released once the expert had completed his work. The identity of the deceased girl was also not initially made public.

The case has caused dismay in the region. Residents and road users expressed their distress at the scale of the accident. The autobahn police pointed out that wrong-way driving was among the most dangerous traffic offences and called on drivers to alert police immediately if they noticed anything suspicious.

Police warn against speculation

A speed limit applies on the A45 in both directions, but it varies depending on the section. Police announced that patrols on the route would be stepped up in the coming days. Possible signage or road markings that may have made it easier to enter in the wrong direction are also to be examined.

The Gießen public prosecutor's office is conducting the investigation on suspicion of negligent homicide. Should it be confirmed that the woman entered the autobahn in the wrong direction intentionally or with gross negligence, criminal proceedings against her — now posthumously — could be initiated or continued.