Police investigating the fatal car crash on the M8 have said the accident could have been "a lot worse".
A 65-year-old man died after a four-car collision on the motorway at Junction 15 Townhead after he drove down the wrong side of the road.
The man has been named by police as Henry McGraith, from Bellshill in North Lanarkshire. The accident happened at 11.30pm on Monday.
Mr McGraith’s Peugeot 206 hit a 21-year-old woman’s Hyundai L30 head on. The accident happened after the 65-year-old was seen driving up the wrong side of the M80 before reaching the M8.
The Bellshill man died at the scene, while the woman who was driving the Hyundai received injuries and was taken to Glasgow Royal Infirmary. Medical staff have described her condition as "stable".
Drivers of two other vehicles who had swerved out of the way Mr McGraith’s car also received minor injuries. The M8 was closed throughout Monday night as a result of the accident, with the road reopening at approximately 6.45am on Tuesday.
Stewart Carle, Chief Inspector of Road Policing in Glasgow, said: "This could have been a lot worse. By chance, the roads department was carrying out gully cleaning on the M8 eastbound prior to the Townhead area.
"There already were traffic restrictions in place, which was slowing the traffic down. At about 11.30pm we received numerous calls from members of the public and an off-duty police sergeant that a car was travelling the wrong way on the M80 onto the M8. It was going westbound on the eastbound carriageway near Robyroyston.
"Tragically, there was a crash which happened shortly afterwards near the Townhead interchange. A couple of cars took avoiding action and had a crash and thereafter the car that was going the wrong way collided head-on with another vehicle.
"Fire, ambulance and police attended quickly. They were met with a debris scene that was probably one and a half football pitches in length and the full width of the M8 carriageway. The road had to be closed straight away.
"It caused major tailbacks. For the safety of the fire and rescue people, we had to close the motorway and thereafter a painstaking investigation takes place. Then it is making sure the road is safe to be open again. I’m afraid that takes a number of hours.
"At this stage, we don’t know why the car was driving the wrong way. A lot of witnesses have come forward to tell us that they saw the gentleman driving in the wrong direction, but if anyone else saw this man driving on the M80, perhaps in the Robroyston area, if you can contact us."
A report will be prepared for the procurator fiscal. Sergeant David Stenhouse of Road Policing is continuing enquiries to establish the circumstances surrounding the crash.
Witnesses are asked to phone his office at Helen Street, Glasgow on 0141 532 6400.
