Report on tunnel accident in the Raunekleiv tunnel on the Fv 7 road near Samnanger in Hordaland county on 11 July 2017
Road traffic report 2018/03 eng
English translation now available. The Accident Investigation Board Norway has conducted a safety investigation of the accident in the Raunekleiv tunnel on 11 July 2017 where a cyclist died when he was hit from behind by a passenger car inside the tunnel.
The accident occurred when a group of 12 Belgian cyclists were heading east towards Samnanger. A passenger car was heading in the same direction and ran into one of the cyclists from behind, inside the Raunekleiv tunnel. He died as a result of injuries sustained.
The investigation has shown that the collision occurred halfway inside the 250-metre-long tunnel, were the road takes a slight left curve. This is the place where the tunnel was at its darkest, and it has been shown that the Raunekleiv tunnel as a whole was poorly illuminated and had dark walls.
The tunnel had no designated lines for cyclists or pedestrians and the speed limit was 80 km/h. There was an alternative route which could be used by cyclists to avoid cycling through the tunnel, but this was not adequately signposted.
The investigation has shown that the combination of a dark tunnel, the speed limit and the lack of designated cycle line all were contributing factors to the accident.
The AIBN proposes one safety recommentdation based on this investigation.
Safety recommendation
Safety recommendation ROAD No 2018/04T
A cyclist died in the Raunekleiv tunnel on 11 July 2017 after being hit from behind by a passenger car inside the tunnel. The accident took place in the part of the tunnel that had the least light from the tunnel openings and the poorest ceiling lighting, in addition to the walls of the tunnel being dark in colour. The cyclist had to cycle in the roadway because there was no cycle lane. The Norwegian Public Roads Administration considered replacing the luminaires in 2015 as maintenance and non-rehabilitation, and no lighting calculations were made. The investigation has shown that older tunnels open to cyclists and not subject to current regulatory requirements should be mapped and followed up to ensure safety.
The Accident Investigation Board Norway recommends that Hordaland County Authority, in cooperation with the Norwegian Public Roads Administration, review relevant tunnels open to cyclists and implement measures to ensure safety also in tunnels that do not fall under the scope of regulatory requirements.
Facts
| Location | Fv 7, Raunekleivtunnelen, Samnanger, Hordaland |
| Occurrence date | 11.07.2017 |
| Accident type | Collision |
| Road class | County road |
| County | Hordaland |
| Police Disctrict | Hordaland |
| Vehicle type | Passenger car, Bicycle |
| Type of Transportation | Private transport |
| Road region | Western Region |
| Accident category | Ulykke i tunnel |