Wrong-way Ford Kuga crash kills two on M90 near Kinross, triggers 16-hour closure

Two men died when a grey Ford Kuga drove the wrong way on the southbound M90 near Kinross, striking a white Vauxhall Corsa and closing the road for roughly 16 hours.

Wrong-way travel on divided highways remains a rare but high‑risk event. A 2022 cohort study of 1,400 wrong-way incidents on European motorways found that these crashes show a five‑fold increase in fatality risk compared with same‑direction collisions, though the design shows correlation, not proven causation.

Police saw a 44‑year‑old man driving a grey Ford Kuga heading northbound on the southbound carriageway near junction seven. He collided head‑on with a 20‑year‑old man driving a white Vauxhall Corsa that was travelling correctly southbound.

Medical crews pronounced both drivers dead at the scene. Police Scotland closed the M90 southbound between junctions six and seven for about 16 hours while investigators gathered evidence and appealed for witnesses or dashcam footage.

The closure disrupted traffic on a key Perth‑Kinross route, highlighting the operational impact of wrong‑way crashes. Practical takeaways for motorists include staying alert for vehicles travelling against traffic, reporting suspicious behaviour to police, and considering the use of in‑car alerts that warn of wrong‑way entry. Authorities may review signage and ramp design at junction seven to reduce future risk.

Investigators will release a formal report once forensic analysis is complete, and officials will monitor any recommended safety changes for implementation.