A tourist was killed in September when hit by a car while standing in the middle of the road. This took place on route 1 at Sólheimasandur, South Iceland.
According to the investigation committee‘s report, the tourist wasn’t facing the car as well as having been dressed in dark clothing in the darkness. The location of the accident didn’t have any nearby parking spots.
Víðir Reynisson, a police officer at South Iceland told RÚV that police had temporarily lowered the speed limit following the accident. New parking spots have since been constructed and crossroads improved.
The accident took place near the remains of a famous crashed aeroplane. Tourists tend to park their cars on road sections in order to see the plane.
The deceased tourist was Chinese, travelling with a group of eight in two cars. They were accompanied by a foreign tourist guide attempting to see the Northern Lights. The driver of the car, also foreign, stated that he had been driving 90 km/h when he suddenly saw a man standing by the road, followed by another man 2-3 seconds later. Although he applied the brakes, it was too late.
