Two tunnels on the A7 motorway were closed for several hours on Saturday morning following a serious collision in the Grouft tunnel that resulted in one driver being hospitalised.

A serious traffic accident led to the temporary closure of both the Stafelter and Grouft tunnels on the A7 motorway on Saturday morning.

The collision occurred shortly before 7am in the northbound lane within the Grouft tunnel and involved two vehicles, according to police confirmation.

Preliminary reports indicate that the driver of the trailing vehicle is suspected of having fallen asleep at the wheel, subsequently crashing into the rear of the car in front.

The impact of the collision propelled the struck vehicle against the tunnel wall. After spinning, it came to a halt several meters further down the road. One of the two drivers involved was transported to a hospital for treatment.

The driver believed to have caused the accident tested positive in a preliminary breathalyser test at the scene, prompting authorities to order further toxicological analysis.

The tunnels were closed to all traffic for the duration of the emergency response and subsequent cleanup operations. They have since been reopened to the public.