One person has died and two were injured, one of whom seriously, in a collision on the A73 near Nijmegen which had been caused by one of the vehicles driving against traffic.

The accident, which happened at 5:30 am on Wednesday, involved three cars, police said,

Both lanes were closed but the lane in the northerly direction has now been opened again in what a spokesman for the ANWB motoring organisation called “a chaotic situation”.

Motorists are being advised to avoid the A73 and travel via Eindhoven using the A67 and A2.

Some 375 incidents involving people driving in the wrong direction are reported by police each year, traffic safety organisation SWOV found in 2022 but it is not known how many people die as a result.

However, accidents are relatively rare as in half of cases people realise within two kilometres they have made a mistake and rectify it, the research showed.

Incidents usually take place at night or in the early hours of the morning when roads are quiet.

Alcohol often plays a part in drivers going the wrong way, as well as over-reliance on satellite navigation. The onset of dementia in older people may also play a role. The majority of incidents involve drivers over 70.