News report | 22-01-2026 | 13:52

On March 12, 2024, around 4:30 PM, a traffic accident occurred on Selmien West road in Ureterp where a motorist was seriously injured. 
There was a quantity of earth on the road surface, and due to this layer of earth and the resulting slipperiness, the victims car skidded and eventually crashed into an electrical cabinet and a tree on the right shoulder. The motorist suffered multiple rib fractures, a complex fracture of the right leg, and severe knee injuries.

Investigations show that earth was present on the road surface over approximately 100 meters. The officer stated: “Given the amount of earth, there must have been multiple trips back and forth between the field and the employers property of the suspect.” The suspect admits that he drove about six times that day with a tractor and manure spreader over Selmien West to spread manure. He noticed during these trips that mud from his tires ended up on the road surface and suspected that the mud, rain, and hard ground caused the road to become slippery. The officer: “The suspect states that he normally places warning signs, but this time did not because his employer was supposed to clean the road surface.”

Based on the investigation, the Public Prosecution Service can establish that the earth on the road surface and the resulting slipperiness caused the motorists accident. It is also established that the suspect failed to place warning signs and clean the road surface as required. “The fact that his employer offered to clean the road does not relieve the suspect of his obligation to ensure this or at least take adequate measures to warn road users about the earth on the road while awaiting cleaning. Given the large amount of earth on the road and the fact that, as the suspect stated, it was drizzling that day, he should have taken immediate measures,” said the officer.

The officer considers that the suspect caused a serious traffic accident due to his fault by failing to take measures during and after agricultural work and not cleaning the road surface. “It is clear that the suspect must be able to perform his work and that mud can end up on the road due to this work. However, the applicable obligations to ensure traffic safety are clear. The suspect, especially as a professional tractor driver, seriously failed in this, resulting in the victim sustaining serious bodily injuries. This case also shows that these obligations are not without reason and how dangerous it is when they are not met.”

The officer demands 160 hours of community service and a driving ban for 12 months, of which 9 months are conditional with a probation period of 2 years. The court will rule on February 5.