A major traffic accident involving a lorry and a van on the AP-7 motorway near Santa Oliva, in the Baix Penedès region of Tarragona province, blocked all lanes and left three people with minor injuries on Tuesday, 21 April 2026, at 7:30am. The incident, which occurred at kilometre 215 in the Barcelona direction, saw a lorry loaded with vegetable pallets overturn, trapping a van against a concrete barrier. Despite the severity of the impact, all occupants managed to exit their vehicles before emergency services arrived, according to local reports. The Mossos d’Esquadra traffic police are investigating the cause, with initial hypotheses suggesting the lorry driver may have been distracted. The lorry reportedly invaded the left lane while overtaking the van, then struck the right guardrail. After the initial impact, the lorry driver is believed to have lost control, causing the heavy vehicle to swerve across multiple lanes. This manoeuvre resulted in the lorry hitting the van and pinning it against the 'new jersey' barrier before the lorry itself overturned, completely blocking the three motorway lanes. The Sistema d’Emergències Mèdiques (SEM) deployed two ambulances to the scene, attending to the three injured individuals. One person was taken to Hospital del Vendrell, while the other two were transported to Hospital de l'Alt Penedès, all with minor injuries. Nine units from the Bombers (firefighters) also responded, securing the area, controlling a fuel leak, and stabilising the overturned lorry. ## Motorway Closure and Diversions The AP-7 remains cut at this point, leading to significant traffic jams during the morning commute. Diversions have been put in place, primarily directing traffic onto the C-32 (Pau Casals motorway) and the N-340 road. Authorities continue to manage the scene and investigate the full circumstances of the accident, with the motorway expected to remain affected for several hours as recovery operations proceed.