Dislodged logs smash into car

A woman and teenager are lucky to have escaped serious injuries after the car they were in was struck by a log off a fully laden truck on State Highway 2 near Paengaroa.

The 39-year-old woman and 16-year-old girl were travelling towards the woman's home in Pukehina about 4pm on Wednesday when a log tumbled from the truck smashing into the small Honda.


A log from a fully laden truck dislodged hitting a white Honda hatchback on State Highway 2 at Paengaroa.

The driver of the Honda was pinned in the vehicle for a short time until emergency services arrived at the scene.

Western Bay of Plenty road policing manager Senior Sergeant Ian Campion says the logs came off the trailer of the truck as it travelled over railway tracks.

'The driver of the logging truck was heading along SH2 when he braked coming up to the railway tracks near the intersection at SH33.”

Four large logs came loose and rolled over the road. Ian says one of the logs ended up between the cab and the trailer of the truck, one landed on the grass verge and two bounced onto the carriageway in the opposite lane.

'The 1994 Honda car travelling in the opposite direction was hit by one of the logs and fortunately the driver and the passenger only suffered minor injuries.”

A 39-year-old Pukehina woman suffered head, chest and neck injuries, and a 16-year-old Te Puke woman sustained minor whiplash.

Both were taken to Tauranga Hospital by Te Puke St John Ambulance for treatment.

A section of the highway at SH2 was closed for a short time with traffic diverted down Maketu Road.

Ian says the commercial vehicle investigation unit attended the accident and police are still investigating the crash.

13 comments

un-acceptable

Posted on 17-10-2013 10:20 | By bayer

someone has been very negligent. we have the right as motorists to expect these many logging trucks on the road to have their loads PROPERLY secured. If that had have been a motorcyclist there at that time it would have been a fatality. GET IT RIGHT there is no room for error!


BAYER

Posted on 17-10-2013 14:07 | By Paula

Are you perfect? No I thought not. This was an accident. A most unfortunate accident but at least nobody was seriously hurt. Why dont you just string the poor driver up? As if hes not feeling bad enough already. Sick of this whole hold someone accountable and its not my fault mentality that has beseiged Kiwis. We used to be a Nation of "can do" now we are merely a Nation of "Blame who". Its bloody shameful.


Overit

Posted on 17-10-2013 14:23 | By overit

Thats too scarey for words.


Like the movie

Posted on 17-10-2013 14:30 | By NZgirl

Final Destination 2


Bayer is absolutely right

Posted on 17-10-2013 17:59 | By southmark

4 logs coming loose from a truck ... we're fortunate there wasn't a fatality. NZ has an astronomically high rate of workplace injuries and they need to be stamped out. Find the problem and ensure it's not repeated


Good on ya Paula

Posted on 17-10-2013 19:10 | By Blasta

Agreed.


Annoyed

Posted on 18-10-2013 07:22 | By Trey12

I agree with Bayer, this is an accident, nobody is perfect and we've all made mistakes. Ever stopped to think that the load was initially secured properly and then something has happened? I'm pretty certain the truck driver wishes that day never happened. Some people should think a bit harder before they comment...I hope none of you negative people ever find yourselves in the position of having an accident that you've caused as a result of something you couldn't control!!


Paula..

Posted on 18-10-2013 08:17 | By penguin

...I suspect a raw nerve has been touched here. Blame is fully justified where it falls. Drivers are responsible for safety and security of their cargos and need to make frequent checks. Sadly, you have dodged the issue of a potential fatality as a result of this insecure load. Remember this - no matter the situation, everyone is accountable for everything that happens anywhere, in some form. If not, anarchy would reign !


Bayer

Posted on 18-10-2013 08:19 | By penguin

..you are absolutely correct.


Well said Paula

Posted on 18-10-2013 09:55 | By Curious

Well said Paula and completely agree. It was an accident and it's not like you hear of it happening every day. Driver inattention is a far greater risk and hazard on the roads day to day, than 'logging trucks' per say. To react and single out these guys seems pretty small minded based on this one rare occurence. The shame is that this driver will probably be put through the ringer and lose his job over this accident, yet you are likely to see more unsafe loads travelling on ya general trailer on the back of Joe Bloggs car that could acutally have just as catastrophic results if they were to come loose or fall off and the motorist behind reacted to try and dodge them. You're right Paula - everyone wants to find someone to blame.


Wow Paula

Posted on 18-10-2013 11:31 | By maccachic

This wasn't an accident logs don't accidently come off a truck, this is not acceptable and I wonder if it was you in the accident if you would be singing a different tune?


With any luck the investigation unit will uncover the problem...

Posted on 18-10-2013 16:35 | By southmark

Luckily the injuries were minor, but this could have easily been a fatal accident. Accidents do happen, and easily, and I hope it was gear failure but if this was carelessness then it needs to be uncovered. There's nothing wrong with accountability when lives are at stake.


Paula & Curious

Posted on 19-10-2013 16:31 | By penguin

Extract from the NZ Transport Agency, below, listing responsibilities of all drivers of heavy vehicles. Maybe a remote possibility that there was some sort of gear failure. One would assume that if the load had been checked against the criteria of the regulations it would have minimised that possibility. • check your load: o before you move o after you have travelled 25km, and then regularly after that o whenever you check your tyres o whenever you add or remove items o after emergency braking or an excessively sharp or violent manoeuvre. • have enough clamps or lashings that are in good condition and are strong enough to hold your load to the vehicle to prevent it shifting forwards, backwards, sideways and upwards (when going over bumps) • secure the lashings to your vehicle's load anchorage points o http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/roadcode/heavy-vehicle-road-code/tlc-introduction/


Leave a Comment


You must be logged in to make a comment.