Two drivers die in head-on dual carriageway smash after one drove wrong way down A449 slip road

Two drivers have died after a car was driven the wrong way down a dual carriageway.

Police believe a Ford Mondeo used an exit slip road to access the A449 near Ombersley, Worcestershire, before colliding with a Vauxhall Astra at about 9.30pm on Wednesday.

West Mercia Police said in a statement: ‘We are appealing for witnesses and information following a serious collision last night.

‘Emergency services were called around 9.30pm to reports of two cars that had collided near to the Ombersley junction of the A449 on the Worcester-bound carriageway.

‘Sadly, the drivers of both vehicles died at the scene.

Police believe a Ford Mondeo used an exit slip road to access the A449 near Ombersley, Worcestershire, before colliding with a Vauxhall Astra at about 9.30pm on Wednesday. Pictured: Police closed the road overnight after the fatal crash

‘While the investigation is ongoing, officers believe that one of the cars, a white Ford Mondeo, was travelling in the wrong direction,’ the statement said.

The car ‘will have joined the A449 after taking the incorrect slip road and collided with an oncoming car, a black Vauxhall Astra.’

The road was closed for hours overnight following the crash, and was re-opened at around 7am on Thursday morning. 

West Mercia Police said that the force is appealing to any witnesses to the crash, or anyone with dash cam footage from the area at the time, to come forward.  

‘If you have any information that can help with our enquiries please call 101 or report it online quoting incident number 588i of 2 March 2022,’ the force said. 

The next of kin of both victims have been notified.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokeswoman said: ‘Upon arrival we found the drivers of the two cars both in a critical condition.

‘Unfortunately, it immediately became apparent that nothing more could be done to save them and they were confirmed deceased at the scene.’