WATCH: Lucky escape as truckie passes out, slams into pole
The moment a Victorian truckie passed out behind the wheel and swerved across a busy highway has been captured in frightening dash cam video.
The shocked driver only regained consciousness as he slammed into a power pole, where he was left trapped for an hour last Saturday.
Footage shows the 68 tonne truck drifting off Canterbury Road at Heathmont, east of Melbourne.
Out of control, it veers into oncoming traffic as drivers swerve out the way to save themselves from a head-on collision.
A power pole cops a direct hit, tipping the truck on its side before it finally comes to a stop.
Mal Standfast, who was behind the wheel, told 7 News he couldn’t believe he escaped the crash without serious injury.
“How lucky can someone get? That's just unbelievable,” he said.
The father of two has had a tough year, after having his voice box removed in May.
“I was more concerned about other people, whether I'd injured anybody else or even worse,” Mr Standfast said.
His wife Shirleen was also counting her lucky stars.
“Thank God he's alive and no-one else was hurt,” she said.
The dash cam footage reveals the veteran driver was not speeding.
The reflection shows his hands fall from the steering wheel as he passed out, his head slumping forward.
“There's been a lot of media speculation that I was in the wrong, that I was drunk, that I was doing all sorts of weird things [but I was doing] nothing, nothing at all,” he said.
“I actually came to as I hit the first lamp post and the truck went on its side, so I can remember from that point on.”
The truck missed a white 4WD by 10cm, with David Ponza, his wife and two young children inside.
“It was like a matter of life and death. Literally it was either go left, or I knew I stood no chance in front of that dump truck,” Mr Ponza said.
It's Mr Standfast first serious accident in 35 years of driving. He said he has no idea why he blacked out and has not been behind the wheel since the crash.
He is waiting to hear back from doctors with their suggestions.
“If and when the doctors can tell me this will never happen again, then I might get back on the road. But at this stage, no,” he said.
