More Than 30 Vehicles Crash in Thick Fog on the M20 in Kent, Leaving Two Seriously Injured

More than 30 vehicles crashed into each other in thick fog on the M20 motorway in Kent on Saturday evening, leaving two people seriously injured and closing the road for hours.

The pile-up happened at about 6.41pm on Saturday, 7 November, on the London-bound carriageway of the M20 between junctions 9 and 8, near Hollingbourne, close to Maidstone.

Kent Police said two people were seriously injured. One was taken to a hospital in London and the other to a hospital nearby. Eleven other people were checked over by paramedics at the scene.

Thick fog blamed

The crash is believed to have been caused by the thick fog that covered much of southern England on Saturday night. The Met Office had issued a yellow warning for dense fog, with visibility falling to less than 50 metres in some places. Some reports also mentioned smoke from a nearby fireworks display in the area.

Three fire engines and a technical rescue unit were sent to the scene, Kent Fire and Rescue Service said, and an air ambulance team also attended. The motorway was closed in both directions between junctions 8 and 9 while emergency services cleared the wreckage. Both carriageways reopened at about 5am on Sunday, according to National Highways.

Police believe it is the largest pile-up ever seen on the M20. Britain’s biggest multi-vehicle crash remains the 2013 collision on the Sheppey Crossing, when more than 100 vehicles crashed in dense fog.

Why it matters

Fog is one of the most dangerous conditions on a motorway. When visibility drops to a few dozen metres, drivers have almost no time to react if the traffic ahead suddenly slows or stops — and that is how a small crash can quickly become a pile-up involving dozens of vehicles.

What happens next

Kent Police are investigating what caused the crash and have asked anyone with dashcam footage or information to come forward, quoting reference 07-1245. A further Met Office fog warning was in place for southern England and the Midlands until 10am on Sunday, and drivers were urged to slow down and keep a safe distance in fog.

Sources

• The Times — https://www.thetimes.com/uk/transport/article/thick-fog-causes-m20-crash-kent-7cqbhk9sd
• Manx Radio — https://www.manxradio.com/news/uk-news/two-seriously-injured-in-30-vehicle-crash-in-fog-on-the-m20-near-maidstone/
• Particle News — https://particle.news/story/more-than-30-vehicles-involved-in-m20-pile-up-two-seriously-injured

This article is for general information and education only. It is not legal or financial advice.