Multiple-vehicle collision

File:Multi vehicle accident - M4 Motorway, Sydney, NSW (8076208846).jpg

Aftermath of a multi-vehicle collision on the M4 Motorway in Sydney, Australia

A multiple-vehicle collision (colloquially known as a pileup or multi-car collision),<ref name=Abel>Template:Cite news</ref> is a road traffic collision involving many vehicles. Generally occurring on high-capacity and high-speed routes such as freeways, they are one of the deadliest forms of traffic collisions. The most disastrous pileups have involved more than a hundred vehicles.

Terminology

A chain collision can be defined as "an accident involving three or more vehicles in which one vehicle has only rear impact damage (i.e., the "lead" vehicle); one vehicle has only frontal damage; and all other vehicles have frontal and rear impact damage (these are the "middle" vehicles)".<ref name="OF CENTER HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMPS 1987">Report No DOT HS 807 076, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF CENTER HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMPS, A PRELIMINARY EVALUATION, March 1987, Charles J. Kahane, Ph.D., Office of Standards Evaluation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, D.C. 20590</ref>

Statistics

British statistics

In Great Britain, statistics are available on the number of vehicles involved in crashes.

• In 2013, there were: 42,487 single-vehicle crashes, 82,429 dual-vehicle crashes, and 13,744 crashes involving three or more vehicles ({{#expr:13744/138660 * 100 round 0}}%) for a total of 138,660 reported crashes. In crashes with three or more vehicles, there were 228 motorists killed and 19 pedestrians killed.
• In 2020, there were: 25,730 single-vehicle crashes, 57,392 dual-vehicle crashes, and 8,077 crashes involving three or more vehicles ({{#expr:8077/91199 * 100 round 0}}%) for a total of 91,199 reported crashes. In crashes with three or more vehicles, there were 200 motorists ({{#expr:200/1114 * 100 round 0}}% of all motorists) and 17 pedestrians ({{#expr:17/346 * 100 round 0}}% of all pedestrians) killed.<ref>Department for Transport statistics, Reported Road Casualties Great Britain Annual Report 2020, RAS40004 Reported accidents, vehicle user and pedestrian casualties by severity and combination of vehicles involved, Great Britain, 2013</ref>

American statistics

In America, statistics are available from the Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• Between 2005 and 2021, there were 138 fatal crashes that involved at least ten vehicles.
• Crashes involving more than ten vehicles are over 100 times more likely to result in the deaths of at least five people compared to fatal crashes involving fewer than five vehicles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation

|CitationClass=web }}</ref>

• More fatal pile-ups occur between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. than during any other single hour. However, the most frequent time for these accidents is during the transition from late afternoon to early evening, with one-third of the pile-ups happening between 2 p.m. and 7 p.m.

Causes

Pile-ups generally occur in low-visibility conditions as drivers on freeways are following too closely and unable to adjust to road conditions.

Chain-reaction crashes can also occur in conditions of good visibility, when black ice or other road hazards are encountered unexpectedly as drivers round a curve or crest a hill.<ref name=Abel/>

Multiple vehicle collisions can also occur when a third vehicle is too close to an initial collision to avoid hitting one or both of the vehicles. Due to the high traffic speeds on the road, if one car develops a problem and suddenly halts, ones behind it cannot stop in time and may hit it. Considering that these roads often have high traffic volumes, more cars are forced into braking and skidding, darting into other lanes and in front of other traffic; more vehicles become involved, creating a chain reaction effect.

Determining the cause of such collisions is difficult for investigators and it is often impossible to tell if negligence caused the crash. In spite of their frequency, little formal research has been done in the United States regarding their causes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Effects

File:Multiple vehicle car crash.jpg

Emergency services work on the scene of a multiple vehicle collision in Toronto.

Multiple-vehicle collisions are particularly deadly as the mass of crumpled vehicles makes escape for survivors difficult. Even if survivors are able to exit their vehicles, other cars may strike them. Individual vehicles in a multiple-vehicle collision are often hit multiple times at high speed, increasing the risk of injury to passengers who may have survived the first impact with the benefit of now-discharged protective airbags. Collisions after the initial collision may occur from the side of the vehicle, where the passenger compartment is more vulnerable.

A fire in one part of the collision can quickly spread via spilled gasoline and cover the entire crash area. Multiple-vehicle collisions can also overwhelm local emergency services making speedy rescues more difficult. If the collision takes place in a remote area, getting medical help to the scene can be difficult.

The destruction and intense heat of fires can also damage roadways, particularly by melting and burning the asphalt or spalling concrete surfaces. The structural steel of bridges and overpasses can also be weakened by the heat. A fiery pileup inside a tunnel is the most serious, as there is little means to escape the poisonous fumes and the confined heat may damage structural supports.

The large scale of these collisions can close highway routes for several days, or even longer if highway support structures are damaged.

Avoidance

A NHTSA report suggests that a vehicle fit with a center high-mounted stop lamps has 23.7% less risk to be involved as a lead vehicle in a chain collision while it has 16.0% less risk to be involved as a middle vehicle in such a chain collision.<ref name="OF CENTER HIGH MOUNTED STOP LAMPS 1987"/>

France

In the French ASFA motorway network, out of all vehicle crashes with injuries, single vehicle crashes make up 42% of the total, dual vehicle crashes make up 41%, and crashes involving three or more vehicles make up 17%.<ref>2022 key figures, ASFA</ref>

Korea

On Korean expressways, chain crashes represent 10.7% of crashes with injuries involving truck drivers. On Korean rural roads, chain crashes represent 0.6% of crashes with injuries involving truck drivers.<ref>Template:Cite journal</ref>

Major pileups

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Date	Location	Killed	Injured	Vehicles	Details
31 October 1965	United States (Greater Los Angeles area, California)	0	28	100+	A fog bank settled over Santa Ana Freeway and caused a chain reaction collision involving more than 100 cars in both directions. The crash caused 28 injuries. Two more separate chain collisions involving an additional 50 cars (also attributed to fog) occurred on Harbor Freeway that same day.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
29 November 1971	United Kingdom (Luton, England)	7	42	70	Due to fog, there was a pileup on the M1 just north of the A505 junction near Luton, United Kingdom. Fog warning lights, switched on at the advice of motorway patrols, were not active at the time of the pileup. 26 miles of the M1 motorway were closed for several hours in both directions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
24 October 1973	United States (Secaucus, New Jersey)	9	40+	65	The heavy fog created a rapid reduction in visibility along the toll plaza stretch of the New Jersey Turnpike near Secaucus along the bank of the Hackensack River. Semi-trucks, cars, and even a coach bus were involved in the crashes. Smoke from a nearby fire also contributed to the low visibility. Local police and New Jersey State Police helped out in the search and rescue efforts.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
7 April 1982	United States (Berkeley Hills, California)	7	2	5+	An accident involving a gasoline tanker truck in the third (then-northernmost) bore set off the Caldecott Tunnel fire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> The accident caused major damage and the bore was closed to traffic for several months while repairs were made, with traffic temporarily reverting to the pre-third-bore configuration. During the fire, the tunnel acted as a natural chimney, venting the smoke, flames, and heat upward the eastern entrance to the tunnel. The accident and fire killed seven people, most of whom were overcome by toxic smoke. The fire occurred shortly after midnight when there were few cars in the tunnel; had it occurred during normal commute hours, hundreds could have died.
31 July 1982	France (Beaune, Côte-d'Or)	53		4	The Beaune coach crash in France, Europe, is considered the most fatal multiple vehicle road collision in France. 53 people died, including 46 children (44 on the coach and 2 in a car).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> Legal consequences include the following: maximum speed limit for coaches reduced, the speed limit for all vehicles in rainy conditions reduced to 110 km/h (68 mph) on motorways and 80 km/h (50 mph) on other roads;<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> transporting groups of children forbidden during the busy weekends of late July and early August; and all heavy vehicles (such as HGVs and coaches) must be equipped with a mechanical speed-limitation device, and it is strictly forbidden for the user to tamper with or modify this device in any way.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
12 March 1990	United States (Green Bay, Wisconsin)	3	30	52	Heavy fog led to a fiery crash involving 52 vehicles led to three deaths and more than 30 injuries on the Interstate 43 in Green Bay, Wisconsin, United States, on the Tower Drive Bridge over the Fox River. A fog warning system was immediately installed, and bridge lighting was installed in the mid-2000s after more fog-related issues.
11 December 1990	United States (Calhoun, Tennessee)	12	42	99	Heavy fog caused by the neighboring Bowater paper mill led to a fiery crash involving 99 vehicles, leaving 12 dead and 42 injured on Interstate 75 in Calhoun, Tennessee, between Chattanooga and Knoxville near the Hiwassee River. The Bowater paper mill paid out more than $10M in settlements. A fog warning system has since been installed, and the highway patrol enforces speed limits aggressively.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
13 March 1991	United Kingdom (Hungerford, England)	10	25	51	Referred to as the 1991 M4 motorway crash; heavy fog and a van driver either falling asleep or swerving to miss a pigeon in the outside lane led to a pileup and fiery crash involving 51 vehicles, leading to 10 deaths on the M4 in Hungerford, Berkshire, United Kingdom, between Membury and Hungerford.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
29 November 1991	United States (Coalinga, California)	17	114	104	A dust storm led to a pileup on Interstate 5 in Coalinga, California, involving 104 vehicles, leading to 17 deaths and 114 injuries.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
22 April 1992	United States (Shenandoah Valley, Virginia)	2	40	60	Fog led to a pileup on Interstate 64 in Virginia near Afton Mountain, involving 60 vehicles, leaving two dead and 40 injured.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
10 November 1993	France (Mirambeau, Charente-Maritime).	15	53	57	On the A10 autoroute in Mirambeau, France, a 57-vehicle pile-up killed 15. The Orsec-Novi plan was raised.
2 December 1994	United States (San Antonio, Texas)	0	67	127	Blinding glare and rain-slicked roads caused a 127-vehicle pileup on Interstate 35 in San Antonio, Texas, leading to 67 injuries.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
20 March 1995	United States (Mobile, Alabama)	1	90	200	Fog caused an accident on Interstate 10 in Mobile, Alabama, United States, involving 200 vehicles, leading to one death and 90 injuries.<ref name="NatWeatherAsso">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
27 February 1996	Belgium (Nazareth)	10	80	200	Fog caused an accident on E17 motorway near Nazareth, Belgium.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
10 March 1997	United Kingdom (Bromsgrove, England)	3	60	160	Referred to as the 1997 M42 motorway crash: fog caused a crash in the United Kingdom, involving 160 vehicles, leading to three deaths and 60 injuries.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
31 December 1998	United States (Grayling, Michigan)	1	39	114	On a snow-slicked section of N/B Interstate-75 in central Michigan, just north of Grayling, 114 cars crashed during whiteout conditions,<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> killing one and injuring 39.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
3 September 1999	Canada (Essex County, Ontario)	8	45	87	Dense fog and tailgating causes an 87-vehicle pile-up, killing 8, injuring 45 more on Highway 401 in Essex County, Ontario, Canada, just east of Windsor.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
22 November 1999	United States (Golden, Colorado)	2	29	83	On Interstate 70 in Golden, Colorado, United States, a car spun out in the westbound lanes in heavy snow and fog and was then hit by other vehicles as it attempted to resume westbound travel.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
5 November 2000	Nigeria (Ifẹ)	96–200		115	In Ife, Nigeria, a tanker truck crashed into a traffic jam and exploded. The death toll is disputed, as 96 bodies were recovered in the crash, but some believe the true death toll to be as high as 200.
22 February 2001	United States (Stafford County, Virginia)	1	dozens	196	A snowstorm whiteout caused an accident on Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia, United States, involving 116 vehicles plus two others nearby totaling 80 more.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
14 March 2002	United States (Catoosa County, Georgia)	4	39	125	Sudden fog caused a pileup on Interstate 75 in Catoosa County, Georgia, United States, involving 125 vehicles and killing four people.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
11 October 2002	United States (Sheboygan County, Wisconsin)	10	36	50	Dense fog caused a collision on Interstate 43 in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, just north of the Ozaukee-Sheboygan County line, involving 50 vehicles. It is considered the worst multiple-vehicle collision in Wisconsin history.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
3 November 2002	United States (Los Angeles County, California)	0	41	216	Dense fog caused an accident on Interstate 710 in Los Angeles County, California, United States involving around 200 vehicles.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
5 November 2002	France (Coulombiers, Vienne)	10	39	58	On the A10 autoroute, Coulombiers, two HGV drivers, one British and one Russian, did not comply with speed regulations, going up to 140 km/h when speed was limited to 50 km/h due to fog;<ref name="2002-0226-01">Conseil Général des Ponts et Chaussées, Paris, le 30 décembre 2004, Bureau d’Enquêtes sur les Accidents de Transport Terrestre, Affaire n°2002-0226-01, Rapport final de l’enquête technique sur l’accident survenu le 5 novembre 2002 sur l’autoroute A10 à Coulombiers, Jean Gérard KOENIG, Ingénieur Général des Ponts et Chaussées, Yves BONDUELLE, Inspecteur Général de l’Equipement, Jean Paul BOIRON, Ingénieur Général des Ponts et Chaussées, Bernard LOITIERE, Ingénieur Général des Ponts et Chaussées</ref> the Orsec-Novi plan was raised.
5 February 2003	Poland (Swarzędz, Greater Poland Voivodeship)	0	31	100+	Dense fog and excessive speed<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> caused a pileup on the then national road 2 between the town of Swarzędz and village of Paczkowo, Greater Poland Voivodeship, Poland, involving over 100 vehicles,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> leaving 31 people injured.
7 February 2003	United States (Berrien County, Michigan)	1	47	80	Lake-effect snow caused a pileup on Interstate 94 in Berrien County, Michigan, involving 80 vehicles (initially reported as 75).<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
23 May 2003	United States (Garrett County, Maryland)	2	64	90	Heavy fog caused a crash near the Interstate 68 cut on Big Savage Mountain in Garrett County, Maryland, involving approximately 90 vehicles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
6 January 2004	United States (Centre County, Pennsylvania)	6	17	50	Due to poor visibility during a white out snow squall, on Interstate 80 in Centre County, Pennsylvania, an accident involving around 50 vehicles left six dead and 17 injured.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
12 January 2005	United States (Ingham County, Michigan)	2	35	200	Dense fog caused a pileup on Interstate 96 in Ingham County, Michigan, United States, involving around 200 vehicles, leaving two dead and 35 injured.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
17 February 2006	Canada (Embrun, Ontario)	5	15	38	Highway 417 in Embrum, Ontario, approximately 38 vehicles collided due to reduced visibility and snow squall conditions, killing 5 and injuring 15.
5 November 2007	United States (Fresno, California)	2	dozens	108	Tule fog led to an accident on Highway 99 south of Fresno, California, United States, involving 108 vehicles, with two dead and dozens of injuries.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
6 January 2008	United States (Madison, Wisconsin)	2		100	On I-90 near Madison, Wisconsin, two people are killed as there was a 100-vehicle pileup.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
9 January 2008	United States (Polk County, Florida)	4	38	70	Four people were killed and as many as 38 were injured in a major pileup on Interstate 4 in north central Florida involving 70 vehicles, as fog mixed with smoke from a controlled fire led to "superfog", making it almost impossible for motorists to see.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
20 January 2008	Canada (near Toronto, Ontario)			100	More than 100 vehicles crashed into each other on Highway 400 near Toronto due to bad weather conditions.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
11 March 2008	United Arab Emirates (Ghantoot, Abu Dhabi)	3	277	60	At 6.39 am a series of vehicle crashes occurred, involving cars, SUVs, busses, and trucks, because of heavy fog on the Abu Dhabi-Dubai highway near Ghantoot, Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates, leading to the worst ever crash and multi-vehicle pileup in the country's history. According to Dubai-based Gulf News and Reuters, the incident killed 3 people and injured 277, involving 60 vehicles of which 25 caught fire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref>
20 March 2008	Czech Republic (Vysočina Region)	0	33	231	231 vehicles crashed at highway D1 in Vysočina Region of the Czech Republic, injuring about 30 people, three of them seriously. Nobody was killed.<ref name="ct24">Na Vysočině je D1 po hromadné nehodě průjezdná oběma směry, web ČT24, 21 March 2008</ref><ref name="novinky">Největší hromadná nehoda zablokovala dálnici D1 na 11 hodin Template:Webarchive, Novinky.cz, 20 March 2008</ref><ref name="zjihlavy">D1: Největší nehoda všech dob, Z Jihlavy, nezávislý infoserver, 21 March 2008</ref><ref name="lidovky">Nehodu na D1 zavinili řidiči, jeli rychle Template:Webarchive, Lidové noviny, 22 April 2008</ref><ref name="blazek">Tomáš Blažek: Sníh umrtvil D1 za 4 minuty, MF Dnes, 22 March 2008, supplement Vysočina, p. 1</ref><ref name="vaca">Jan Vaca: Policie pozná, kdo jel rychle, MF Dnes, 22 March 2008. str. 2</ref><ref name="aktualne">Michal Pavec: Škoda za havárii desetiletí na D1 činí 28 milionů, Aktuálně.cz, 21 April 2008</ref>
25 March 2008	Austria (between Vienna and Salzburg)	1	6	60	A near 60 vehicle pile-up in heavy snow on Austria's main east–west highway causes one death with six injuries.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
11 January 2009	United States (Derry, New Hampshire)			50+	There was a pileup on I-93 involving "more than 50 cars..." in Derry, New Hampshire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
19 July 2009	Germany (Braunschweig, Lower Saxony)		66	259	Dozens of people were injured, 10 critically, when 259 vehicles were involved in a series of related pile-ups due to heavy rain on the German Autobahn A2 near Braunschweig in Lower Saxony.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
13 December 2009	United States (Shelton, Connecticut)		52	56	56 cars involved in a pile-up on Route 110 in Shelton, Connecticut, due to freezing rain and black ice resulted in 46 injuries and six hospitalizations, but no deaths or life-threatening injuries.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
23 December 2009	United Kingdom (Multiple locations on the M27 motorway; Hampshire, England)		36	43	Severe black ice, freezing fog, and deep snow led to a pileup on the M27 motorway westbound at Rownhams services involving 20 vehicles, and another pileup eastbound between J7 for Hedge End and Botley and J8 for Bursledon and Netley involving 23 vehicles.
10 February 2010	United States (Williamsburg, Virginia)		7	50	Near Williamsburg, Virginia, whiteout conditions around 9:00 am led to a fifty-car pileup on a stretch of westbound I-64. The collision took hours to clear, and seven people suffered minor injuries requiring hospitalization.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
14 February 2010	United States (Multiple locations in the Kansas City Metropolitan Area)		13	140	Whiteout conditions caused several pileups involving 140<ref name="kansascity.com">[1] Template:Webarchive</ref> vehicles, including two Greyhound buses,<ref name="cbsnews.com">Template:Cite news</ref> in the Kansas City area. The largest pileup along I-70 and K-7 near the city of Bonner Springs, Kansas, involved 40 vehicles.<ref name="kansascity.com"/><ref name="cbsnews.com"/><ref name="stltoday.com">[2] Template:Webarchive</ref> No fatalities or critical injuries were reported. The collision closed I-70 for several hours so emergency workers and crews could clean up the area. The same day, also in the Kansas City metro area, a separate pileup also caused by whiteout conditions involving at least 20 vehicles closed parts of I-35 near 87th Street.<ref name="cbsnews.com"/> No fatalities or serious injuries were reported there as well.<ref name="cbsnews.com"/> The collisions sent 13 people to area hospitals.<ref name="stltoday.com"/>
16 November 2010	United States (Carroll County, Virginia)	2	16	75	Heaving fog resulting in zero visibility led to crashes on Interstate 77 in Carroll County, Virginia, in both the northbound and southbound lanes between mile markers 4 & 7 in the area of Fancy Gap, with a total of 75 vehicles involved.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
8 April 2011	Germany (Rostock)	10	74	80+	A sandstorm caused an 80-car pileup on Autobahn 19 near Rostock, Germany, in both directions, leading to 10 dead and 74 injured.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite newsTemplate:Cbignore</ref>
15 September 2011	Brazil (São Paulo)	1	49	300	Heavy fog led to a collision on Rodovia dos Imigrantes at São Paulo, Brazil, involving around 300 vehicles, leading to several injuries and one person dead.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
4 November 2011	United Kingdom (Taunton, England)	7	51	34	Dense fog caused a multiple-vehicle collision occurred on the M5 motorway near Taunton, Somerset, in South West England. The crash involved dozens of cars and articulated lorries; a large fireball ensued. It was concluded that the cause of the crash was dense fog.
1 December 2011	United States (Sumner County, Tennessee)	1	16–18	176	"Heavy, heavy fog" led to three separate chain-reaction crashes on Tennessee State Route 386 (Vietnam Veterans Boulevard) and Saundersville Road near Hendersonville in Sumner County, Tennessee, United States, north of Nashville. It involved 176 vehicles, leading to one death and 16–18 injuries. A fog advisory was not in effect for the area at the time of the crashes.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
3 December 2011	Turkey (Büyükçekmece, near Istanbul)	1	14	134	Heavy fog and a slippery road led to an accident on the Istanbul Trans European Motorway involving 134 cars with one dead and 14 injured.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
5 December 2011	Japan (Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi Prefecture)	0	10	14	A slippery road caused a pileup in the Chugoku expressway in Shimonoseki, Japan, and injured 10 people. It is believed to be one of the most expensive pileups, having 8 Ferraris, 3 Mercedes-Benz, a Lamborghini, and 2 Toyota Prius being involved in the crash.<ref name="theguardian.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
29 December 2011	United States (New Orleans, Louisiana)	2	59	40	Heavy fog and smoke from a nearby ongoing marsh fire in New Orleans East led to a pileup on I-10 in New Orleans, Louisiana, with about 40 vehicles involved and at least 50 injuries (22 serious).<ref name="wwltv.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
29 January 2012	United States (Gainesville, Florida)	11	18	16	A combination of fire smoke and fog ("superfog") blinded drivers and resulted in a pileup on Interstate 75 in Gainesville, Florida.
3 February 2012	Finland (Helsinki)	0	40+	100+	On European route E75 in Helsinki, Finland, heavy snow and icy road conditions caused accidents with more than 100 cars involved and more than 40 injured (1 critically).<ref name="hooniverse.com">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref name="www.hs.fi">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
5 October 2012	United States (between Sarasota County and Manatee County, Florida)	0	52	47	On Interstate I-75 Southbound on the University Blvd. overpass on the Sarasota/Manatee County line, Florida, white-out rain led to 12 separate crashes involving 47 vehicles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
22 November 2012	United States (Jefferson County, Texas)	2	100	100+	On Interstate I-10, Jefferson County, Texas, a 150-vehicle pileup in both directions due to fog leaves 2 dead, 100 hurt.<ref name="www.latimes.com">Template:Cite news</ref>
15 January 2013	Sweden (Helsingborg, Scania)	1	46	80	On the European route E4 Klippan on Tranarp bridge near Helsingborg, southwestern Sweden, one person died and more than 40 were injured after up to 80 vehicles crashed into one another due to dense fog and slippery road conditions.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>https://www.msb.se/Upload/Kunskapsbank/Statistik_larande/img/Faktablad%20Trafikolycka%20Tranarpsbron.pdf%7CSwedish Template:Dead link civil contingencies agency fact sheet (in Swedish)</ref>
21 January 2013	United States (Cincinnati, Ohio)	1	27	103	On Interstate 275 in Cincinnati, Ohio, flash snowburst caused a large pileup with many injuries. A 12-year-old girl was killed.<ref>Template:Cite news </ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
21 January 2013	United States (Middletown, Ohio)	0	9	52	On Interstate 75 in Middletown, Ohio, flash snowburst caused a large pileup. Same storm as the Cincinnati 103-vehicle collision that killed a 12-year-old girl.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
25 January 2013	Canada (Oshawa, Ontario)	0	5	80	80-vehicle pileup occurred on Highway 401 east of Oshawa, Ontario, Canada.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
31 January 2013	United States (Detroit, Michigan)	3	20+	35+	On Interstate 75 in Detroit, Michigan, flash snowburst caused a pileup along an urbanized section of Interstate 75 in Detroit, killing a 46-year-old Allen Park man, and two children from nearby Windsor, Ontario.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
31 March 2013	United States (Carroll County, Virginia)	3	25	95	On Interstate 77 in Carroll County, Virginia, approximately 95 vehicles were involved in a collision on the southbound lane of I-77 near the base of Fancy Gap Mountain near Fancy Gap, Virginia. Virginia State Police say that excessive fog could be to blame for the collision. Three people were killed.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
5 September 2013	United Kingdom (Kent, England)	0	60	130+	60 people were injured as more than 130 vehicles were involved in a series of crashes in thick fog on the A249 Sheppey crossing in Kent, UK.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
3 December 2013	Belgium (Zonnebeke, West Flanders)	2	67	132	One person was killed and 67 injured as 132 vehicles were involved in a triple chain collision in thick fog on the A19 in Zonnebeke, Belgium.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> A second person died four days later.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
23 January 2014	United States (LaPorte County, Indiana)	3	20+	~46	Lake-effect snow caused a pileup involving more than 40 vehicles on Interstate 94 in LaPorte County, Indiana.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
14 February 2014	United States (Philadelphia Metropolitan Area, Pennsylvania)	0	30	100	Up to 105 vehicles were involved in multiple collisions on the eastbound lanes of the Pennsylvania Turnpike between Willow Grove and Bensalem. One collision involved about 75 vehicles while another incident further east involved about 30 vehicles. There were a total of 30 injuries. The collisions were a result of icy conditions from a winter storm.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
27 February 2014	Canada (Barrie, Ontario)	0		96	On Ontario Highway 400 south of Barrie, 96 vehicles were involved in collisions at about 9am during a snow squall, reducing visibility to "a few feet". The incident resulted in the closure of Highway 400 between Highway 89 and Mapleview Drive. Both lanes on that stretch of highway were closed for most of the day until early evening.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
1 March 2014	United States (Denver, Colorado)	1	30	104	Heavy snow caused a pileup involving 104 vehicles on Interstate 25 in Denver, Colorado, United States.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
12 March 2014	United States (Sandusky County, Ohio)	3	"numerous"	90	Heavy snow caused two crashes involving ninety vehicles on the Ohio Turnpike (Interstate 80/90) in Sandusky County, Ohio, United States.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
14 October 2014	South Africa (Alberton)	4	54	47	A 47-vehicle pileup occurred during morning traffic on N12 Freeway near Alberton, South Africa, heading east. Four people were confirmed dead and nine were critically injured.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
9 January 2015	United States (Galesburg, Michigan)	1	23	193	Nearly 200 vehicles, including 76 semi trucks, were involved in a pileup on Interstate 94 near Galesburg, Michigan,<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> amidst a heavy snowstorm that brought nearly a foot of snow to the area. One of the trucks was carrying a load of fireworks, which caught fire and exploded, injuring two firefighters. The only fatality was a 57-year-old truck driver from Quebec, Canada.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
18 January 2015	United States (Upper Merion, Pennsylvania)	1	30	60	Icy roads led to a 60-car pileup on Interstate 76 in Upper Merion, Pennsylvania. One man was killed when he got out of his car after the collision and was hit by another car. 30 more people were injured.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="gawk2015">Template:Cite news</ref>
11 February 2015	South Korea (Incheon)	2	65	106	A 106-car pileup on Yeongjong Bridge in Incheon, South Korea, killed two and injured more than 65 people. The event was caught on tape from a vehicle's dashcam.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
25 February 2015	United States (Penobscot County, Maine)	0	17	75	A 75-car pileup on Interstate 95 in Penobscot County, Maine, United States, was noted as possibly Maine's largest single traffic collision.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
30 January 2016	Slovenia (Senožeče)	4	30	70+	A 55-car pileup on A1 motorway near Senožeče, Slovenia killed five and injured more than 30.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
13 February 2016	United States (Lebanon County, Pennsylvania)	3	25+	50	Icy conditions caused a pileup on the I-78 Freeway in Pennsylvania, resulting in the deaths of 3 people. 50 cars were involved and at least 25 people were injured.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
22 February 2016	Norway (Eidsvåg, Bergen)	0	5	60	Unforeseen slippery roads during morning rush hours took motorists by surprise; there were 60 cars in the pileup on E39 near Bergen, Norway.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
13 March 2016	United States (Alamance County, North Carolina)	0	20	130	At least 130 cars piled up on Interstate 85/Interstate 40 in Alamance County, North Carolina, United States. The crash is thought to be a result of slippery roads caused by thunderstorms in the area at the time.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
22 November 2016	China (Shanxi)	17	37	56	Snowy road conditions on an expressway linking Beijing and Kunming in the North China province of Shanxi caused a total of 56 vehicles to crash into each other, resulting in 17 deaths.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
8 December 2016	United States (Cleveland, Ohio)	0	20	50	A 50-vehicle pileup on Interstate 90 in Concord Township, Ohio on the east side of Cleveland, Ohio, at mile marker 202.3 (between OH-44 and Vrooman Road) happened as a result of overnight heavy lake-effect snow. It seems to have had 15 semi trucks and 35 cars involved.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
5 February 2018	United States (Ames, Iowa)	1	5	50–70	Icy conditions led to a pileup on Interstate 35 near Ames, Iowa, involving at least 15 semi trucks and 35 cars. One fatality and five critically injured people were reported.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
15 February 2019	United States (Oak Grove, Missouri)	1	0	47	A 47-vehicle pileup occurred on Interstate 70 near Oak Grove, Missouri, due to icy roads and white-out conditions. One fatality was reported.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
24 February 2019	United States (Neenah, Wisconsin)	1	71	131	White-out conditions and winds in excess of 50 mph contributed to a 131 vehicle pileup on Interstate 41 near Neenah, Wisconsin. The crash resulted in 1 dead and 71 injured.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
5 March 2019	United States (Hudson, Ohio)	0	25	~100	White-out conditions and icy roads caused a 90 to 100 car pileup on Route 8 northbound in Hudson, Ohio.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
23 March 2019	United States (Grapevine, California)	1	12	50	With fog visibility of 100 feet, there was a pileup on the Southbound side of Interstate 5 South of Grapevine at Gorman School Road. A toddler passed away days later.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
25 April 2019	United States (Lakewood, Colorado)	4	7	28	A semi driver slammed into rush hour traffic, starting a pile up and massive fire that killed four people and injured seven others in Lakewood, Colorado.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
22 December 2019	United States (Williamsburg, Virginia)	0	51	69	Near Williamsburg, Virginia, 69 vehicles collided in foggy conditions on Interstate 64 on the westbound portion of Queens Creek Bridge.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
19 February 2020	Canada (La Prairie, Quebec)	2	~70	200+	White-out conditions on Highway 15 caused a pile-up involving more than 200 vehicles in La Prairie, a suburb of the Canadian city of Montreal.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1 March 2020	United States (Wamsutter, Wyoming)	3	30	120	Near Wamsutter, Wyoming, over 100 vehicles collided in near-zero visibility conditions while semi-trailers toppled over in high winds. Vehicles were unable to stop as there was also black ice on Interstate 80 on both sides of the highway, westbound and eastbound portions between Rawlins and Wamsutter. People report being stuck on the highway for over nine hours before emergency teams were able to clear the roadway.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
11 February 2021	United States (Fort Worth, Texas)	6	65+	133	Freezing rain resulted in 133<ref>Archived at GhostarchiveTemplate:Cbignore and the Wayback MachineTemplate:Cbignore: {{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}Template:Cbignore</ref> vehicles being involved in a crash on Interstate 35W near Fort Worth, Texas. It was the worst pile-up in Texas history with more than 65 people hospitalized and at least six people dead. Multiple people were trapped in their vehicles as well and had to be rescued. The scene of the crash spanned over 1.5 miles.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
19 June 2021	United States (Butler County, Alabama)	10		18	Rain from Tropical Storm Claudette resulted in a pile-up of 18 vehicles on the Interstate 65 in Butler County, Alabama. Ten were killed, including nine children.
25 July 2021	United States (Millard County, Utah)	8	>10	22	A severe sandstorm resulted in a pile-up of 22 vehicles on Interstate 15 in Millard County, Utah. Eight were killed, including four children under the age of 15.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
7 November 2021	Mexico (between Mexico City and Puebla)	19	3	Many	A shampoo truck smashed into cars at a toll booth on the Mexican Federal Highway connecting Mexico City with Puebla, causing a large fire.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
5 January 2022	United States (Monmouth County, New Jersey)	0	7	65	On the workweek morning of January 5, early morning rain falling with temps below freezing led to widespread black ice across the Philadelphia and New York City metro areas. In Monmouth County, New Jersey, black ice over the Route 18/36 flyovers led to 2 car pileups in both directions. 50 vehicles were involved in the second crash and 15 were involved in the first. <ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
12 March 2022	United States (Cumberland County, Pennsylvania)	0	10	73	There was a pileup on Pennsylvania Route 581 in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, likely caused by a snow squall.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
17 March 2022	United States (Charleston, Missouri)	6		47	There was a pileup on Interstate 57 near Charleston in southeastern Missouri, caused by fog<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
28 March 2022	United States (Minersville, Pennsylvania)	6	24	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	There was a crash on Interstate 81 near Minersville, Pennsylvania, due to a snow squall<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
4 November 2022	United States (Denver, Colorado)	0	0	>100	The accident occurred on 6th Avenue in Denver, Colorado, due to overnight snow and icy roads<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
23 December 2022	United States (Sandusky County, Ohio)	4	73	51	This crash occurred on the Ohio Turnpike in Sandusky County due at least partially to weather conditions from the December 2022 North American winter storm, as the area was under a level 3 snow emergency and "the crash came amid frigid temps and strong winds."<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref> This crash was still under investigation a month later.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
1 May 2023	United States (Montgomery County, Illinois)	8<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	36	72	This crash occurred on Interstate 55 in Montgomery County, Illinois, due to a dust storm.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
23 October 2023	United States (St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana)	8	63	168	This crash occurred on Interstate 55 in St. John the Baptist Parish, Louisiana due to a combination of heavy fog and drifting smoke from nearby marsh fires (superfog). This stretch of I-55 from Ponchatoula to Manchac is elevated to pass over swampland below, and one vehicle fell into the water and partially sunk, while over 100 motorists were left stranded before rescue services could reach the area.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
21 December 2024	Brazil (Teófilo Otoni)	39<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>	7	3	This crash occurred on BR-116 in Teófilo Otoni, Minas Gerais; according to the Federal Highway Police, the cause of the accident was possibly due to a fall of granite block from a B-train that hit a bus and a car.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
7 February 2025	Canada (Orillia, Ontario)	1	11	citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>	This crash occurred on King’s Highway 11 in the city of Orillia, Ontario, after snow squalls in the area led to whiteout conditions, causing collisions between an estimated 50-60 vehicles. A 49-year-old man was killed and 11 others were hospitalized.<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation	CitationClass=web }}</ref>
15 February 2025	Sweden (Uppland)	0	0-120	100<	Two accidents occurred in Uppland on 15 February, one on the E18 in the vicinity of Grillby near Enköping and another on the E4 near Uppsala due to icy road conditions and low visibility.
14 March 2025	United States (Western Kansas)	8	30+	71	This crash occurred on Interstate 70 in northwestern Kansas between Colby and Goodland due to a dust storm.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

Motorsports

Multiple vehicle collisions can occur in the restricted courses used in motorsports as well, most commonly after a green flag (on road courses) being waved following a warm-up lap during the start of the race. Reporters and fans apply subjective guidelines as to what threshold needs to be crossed before a simple on-track incident can be described as such. NASCAR fans, for example, talk about the "Big One", where many cars can be or are involved in a wreck while running close together.

See also

• Aviation accidents and incidents