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Duck family causes car accident in Germany

Darko Janjevic
June 5, 2022

Why did the ducks cross the autobahn? That's what German police are wondering after a family of waterfowl caused an accident when drivers took evasive action.

https://p.dw.com/p/4CIo3
A mommy duck with eight ducklings pictured in Baden Württemberg in 2020
The ducks 'quickly moved away from the scene of the accident,' police said (file photo)Image: picture-alliance/dpa/C. Schmidt

A family of ducks caused a crash involving three cars in southern Germany this weekend, according to police. Officials said several people were injured in the incident.

The family of ducks were crossing the A7 highway near the city of Heidenheim an der Brenz in the southern state of Baden-Württemberg. The A7 highway runs from the very north to the utmost south of Germany and is the longest highway in the country.

How did the accident happen?

According to the police statement, a 65-year-old Opel driver noticed the ducks on the road and stopped his car. A 36-year-old Skoda driver in the next lane did the same. But, a 22-year-old Volkswagen driver approached from behind reportedly failed to notice the two other cars in time and slammed into the rear-end of the Opel.

Police said that all four occupants of the Opel, including two teenagers, sustained injuries in the crash and had to receive hospital treatment. The Skoda was also damaged in the crash. Officials estimate property damage to some €70,000 ($75,000).

German authorities also said that the duck family suffered only a scare and "quickly moved away from the site of the accident."

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Edited by: Kieran Burke