A serious traffic accident occurred on the Štajerska highway in Slovenia, leaving five people dead and two injured. The collision happened when a van driver crashed into the back of a stationary truck that was part of a convoy near the Tepanje rest area, heading towards Ljubljana.
The highway between the Slovenska Bistrica-south and Slovenske Konjice exits was completely closed for several hours and is now partially reopened, but the overtaking lane remains blocked, causing traffic jams up to Slivnica, according to Slovenian media 24ur.
Celje Police were notified just before 10:30 AM. Initial reports confirm that all victims were in the van, which carried seven passengers — all foreign nationals. The van’s driver, a Ukrainian citizen, was slightly injured, while one passenger was seriously injured. The truck driver, a Russian citizen, was unharmed.
Road Traffic Inspector Jasna Božič said that inappropriate speed was the main cause of the crash. Identification of the victims is still ongoing.
