A car ended up on the Gufunes shoreline after a head-on collision in the Gufunes area of east Reykjavík. The incident — unusual even by the standards of Iceland’s accident-prone winter roads — left the vehicle off the road and down on the coastal edge of this industrial district, not far from where the city’s outskirts meet the sea.
Key takeaways
- A head-on collision in Gufunes sent a car onto the shoreline of the bay.
- Gufunes is an industrial and harbour district on the eastern edge of Reykjavík.
- Icelandic roads — even urban ones — can turn dangerous fast, especially in wet or icy conditions.
- Emergency services in Iceland respond quickly; Slysavarnafélagið Landsbjörg (the national rescue association) and police are typically on scene within minutes in the capital.
Gufunes sits on the inner shore of Kollafjörður, tucked between the Reykjavík suburb of Grafarholt and the harbour. It is mostly light industry, recycling facilities, and the city’s geothermal infrastructure — not somewhere tourists usually end up, but a district locals drive through regularly on the ring road between the city centre and the eastern suburbs. The roads there are wide but exposed, with sea on one side and industrial lots on the other. When conditions are slick, there is very little margin for error.
A head-on crash sending a car off the road and onto the shoreline suggests significant speed or a loss of control at a curve — the coastal road dips close to the waterline in several spots along that stretch. Icelandic police (Lögreglan) and emergency teams would have secured the scene, assessed the vehicle for safety in a tidal zone, and coordinated recovery. Because the car landed near the water, getting it back on solid ground likely required specialist equipment rather than a standard tow truck.
This kind of incident is a sharp reminder that driving in Iceland demands full attention regardless of whether you are on the famous Ring Road or an urban stretch you have taken a hundred times. Road conditions change quickly here — a dry road at noon can be glassy ice by mid-afternoon if temperatures drop, and coastal areas get battered by spray that freezes on the tarmac without warning. The Icelandic Road and Coastal Administration (Vegagerðin) publishes real-time road condition updates, and checking them before any drive — even a short one in Reykjavík — is a habit worth building.
I have driven past Gufunes dozens of times heading out toward Mosfellsbær or cutting across to the eastern side of the city. The area feels unremarkable until the light hits the bay and the mountains on the far shore of Kollafjörður line up perfectly — but that is exactly the kind of distraction that gets drivers into trouble on an unfamiliar bend. Stay focused, slow down in coastal zones, and give the road your full attention.
Frequently asked questions
Where exactly is Gufunes in Reykjavík?
Gufunes is an industrial district on the eastern edge of Reykjavík, situated along the inner shore of Kollafjörður bay. It sits between the residential suburb of Grafarholt and the city’s harbour areas, and drivers pass through it on routes heading toward Mosfellsbær and the eastern suburbs.
Why do cars end up off-road so often in Iceland?
Iceland’s weather changes rapidly, and road surfaces — including urban ones — can become icy or slick with little warning. Coastal roads are particularly exposed to spray and sudden temperature drops. Speed combined with a moment’s inattention on a bend is the most common factor in single and head-on collision incidents.
What should you do if you witness a serious road accident in Iceland?
Call 112, Iceland’s single emergency number, immediately. Give your location as precisely as possible — nearby landmarks or a GPS coordinate from your phone help responders in unfamiliar areas. Do not move injured persons unless there is immediate danger such as fire or rising water.
