August 22, 2025: The Highway A38, which has been a critical highway in Cornwall, was closed in both directions today after a major single-car crash involving a cog wheel. The accident at around 6:30 AM has led to severe traffic congestion and affected summer commuters as well as tourists. Emergency responders are at the scene, and authorities are warning drivers to stay away as investigators continue their investigation.
Serious Crash Triggers an Emergency
The accident involved a medium-sized sedan that lost control, crashed into road barriers along the A38 road between Bodmin and Liskeard, and subsequently overturned. The local driver in the 30s sustained life-threatening injuries, and Cornwall Air Ambulance flew them to a hospital. Devon and Cornwall Police said no other cars were involved and this was a single-vehicle accident. Initial reports suggest that fog and wet roads, caused by late-night precipitation, may have contributed, but this will require a review of the mechanics by forensic teams.
Emergency services, including Bodmin and Liskeard firemen, worked with speed to remove the driver from the wreck. Airlift Critical care was given by paramedics before the charents took off. It is a tragic occurrence, and we are most concerned about helping the victim and his family. The A38 remains closed to remove debris and survey the explosion, so delays are expected to continue into the afternoon.
Traffic Jam and Detour Roads
The closure has caused significant delays, with hours-long queues of traffic on the A38 between Devon and Cornwall. National Highways South West has been issued with diversions via the A390 through Dobwalls and Liskeard, but the latter roads are incredibly congested. It now reports delays of up to an hour, and this has been made even worse by holiday traffic before the August bank holiday weekend. Motorists have been asked to travel on the A30 where possible, and it is also experiencing heavy usage.
Local businesses and service providers, including tourism operators and farms, are being impacted as deliveries continue to be delayed and access to customers is reduced. The drivers would be advised to monitor real-time traffic on the National Highways website or even via an application like Waze to get real-time guidance.
Police Want Witnesses and Dashcam Video
The Devon and Cornwall Police have asked witnesses or a dashcam recording to help their investigation. No information, however trivial, may not be important,” the force said. Report the director of Details to the director of 101 and quote incident number 245 of August 22, 2025. These kinds of appeals have been successful in the past in A38-related incidents, aiding investigators in reconstructing events.
The Current Safety Problems of A38
The A38 had a rocky history of high numbers of accidents, prompting the installation of safety improvements in recent years. Only recently, on August 20, 2025, speed cameras and a reduction of the speed limit were implemented on dangerous sections because two fatal accidents had been observed earlier this year.
The first phenomenon is that the area of the town where the accident happened, (the Glynn Valley), has been described as having sharp turns and changing weather; thus the area has some risk factor. The statistics indicate that there are collision rates on this stretch which are 50% above the national averages on A/roads.
The outcome of this recent crash is the resurrection of advocates in insisting on increased safety conditions, ardently seeking improved signage and road conditions. The accident came not long after another serious incident near Bodmin, and it is imperative to remain vigilant.
What Drivers Ought to Know
Motorists are warned against A38 between Bodmin and Liskeard until further. National Highways believes that the road could be reopened later today, but delays will be experienced. Follow @DevonCornwallPolice or the @HighwaysSWEST on social media. As Cornwall struggles to get out of this loss, the shift is on the recovery of the driver and the safety of the A38 for all.