Fatal Head-On Collision on Tenerife’s TF-1 Sparks Road Safety Concerns
A 26-year-old woman has died and two others remain in serious condition following a fatal head-on collision on Tenerife’s TF-1 motorway that has reignited concerns over the lack of central safety barriers.
Road safety on Tenerife’s ring road is under scrutiny again following a fatal head-on collision yesterday on the TF-1 motorway in Guía de Isora. A 26-year-old woman has died at the University Hospital of the Canary Islands (HUC) from injuries sustained in the crash—a type of accident that is often more lethal on high-speed roads that lack physical barriers between lanes.
The accident involved two cars and forced traffic to be diverted onto the TF-82 for over two hours. In the first vehicle, a Peugeot 208, were two French citizens. The 26-year-old woman, who later passed away, and a 30-year-old man were pulled from the wreckage by other drivers at the scene. The man remains in serious condition at Hospiten Sur.
The 27-year-old driver of the second vehicle, a Seat León, was flown to the Nuestra Señora de La Candelaria University Hospital (HUNSC) in critical condition. His car caught fire after the impact, and witnesses had to act quickly to pull him from the vehicle, where he had suffered burns and multiple injuries.
The emergency response was aided significantly by members of the public. Reports highlight the actions of an Italian doctor who happened to be passing by and coordinated initial medical assistance before firefighters, the Civil Guard, and local police from Guía de Isora and Santiago del Teide arrived.
The Civil Guard is currently investigating the exact cause of the crash. The incident has renewed concerns about road infrastructure, specifically the lack of central medians, which can prevent head-on collisions and mitigate the consequences of drivers losing control on high-capacity roads.