Truck driver arrested after major freeway crash
A Queensland man has been arrested and charged with driving unlicensed and a slew of other alleged offences after his truck ploughed through seven cars and a bus at the end of the freeway on Sunday.
The scene after a truck hit cars at the SE Freeway bottom in July. Photo: Rebekah Clarkson
Nine people were hurt when the man’s trailer-towing truck was unable to stop at the base of the freeway on Sunday afternoon, resulting in a major crash at the Portrush Road and Glen Osmond Road intersection and prompting another debate about the safety of the South Eastern Freeway.
The 60-year-old truck driver, who was among those injured in the crash, will face the Adelaide Magistrates Court today charged with nine counts of dangerous driving causing harm, endangering life, driving while unlicensed and “numerous national heavy vehicle offences”, police said this morning.
He was refused bail.
Police say major investigations to determine the cause of the crash are ongoing. They have previously described the fact no one was injured as “miraculous”
The base of the freeway, where Adelaide Hills commuters, trucks and people driving to the city from the eastern states converge, has been the scene of a number of serious crashes and near misses in recent years.
In one of the worst incidents, two people were killed in 2014 when a sewage truck suffered a major brake failure and crashed into two stationary cars.
The speed limit for all trucks was reduced to 60km/h on the ascent from Crafers.
There are two arrester beds – one above the Heysen Tunnels and one below – which are designed to stop trucks and other vehicles if their brakes fail.
The Department for Infrastructure and Transport first investigated building a third arrester bed about 10 years ago following a coronial inquiry.
Premier Peter Malinauskas said on Monday it was important to wait until the police investigation determined the cause of the crash before deciding whether to build a third arrester bed.
Malinauskas said this morning he was still committed to looking at options but it was a difficult task to prevent all such incidents.
“We can put speed restrictions in place, we can pass legislation requiring truck drivers to use low gear, we can put in the arrester beds, we can do all these safety measures,” he said.
However, if poor driver choices or errors occurred, “well, I’m not too sure what safety mechanisms we can do in an infrastructure sense or in a legislative sense that can stop that from happening”.
– With AAP
