Truckie investigated over near-miss caught on dash cam footage
A truck driver has been stood down after terrifying dash cam footage emerged of a near-fatal incident in South Australia.
The footage shows the B-double driver swerve at the last possible moment, narrowly avoiding rear-ending an lucky sedan that brakes to stop at a red light.
Police are concerned the footage shows the Port Wakefield Road lights turn amber and the truckie failing to brake.
“The big question is why was that truck driver not slowing down well in advance?” Road Transport Association spokesperson Steve Shearer said.
The Parafield Gardens near-miss is one of thousands of red light incidents across South Australia.
Alarming new figures show 53 fines have been issued per day since June, adding up to a total 7,700 over the five-month period.
“It’s never advisable to pull in front of a truck as you’re approaching traffic lights. Never,” Mr Shearer said.
“Statistics show 80 per cent of fatal crashes between trucks and cars are caused by the motorist, but that means we [trucks] cause 20 per cent and this could have been one of them.”
The 62-year-old truck driver has been stood down by his company while an investigation is carried out.
He’s also been reported for driving in a dangerous manner and will face court at a later date.
News break – November 21
