Durban – A Volvo truck driver pulling out of Bridgeport Warehouse on Edwin Swales Drive learned the hard way why speed and unsecured loads don’t mix. The fully loaded rig took the right turn onto the M7 a bit too fast, and before you could say “check your twist locks,” the right-side wheels lifted, and the whole truck went over.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the container came loose and slid forward, proving that those twist locks were either not engaged or not checked properly.
When locked, they’re meant to hold the container down no matter what. In this case, that didn’t happen, and the container took off like it had a mind of its own.
With the entire westbound side of the M7 blocked, traffic was at a standstill for hours while crews worked to clear the mess. Luckily, no serious injuries were reported, but this one could’ve ended way worse.
Watch: Watch: Overspeeding Trucker’s Illegal Overtake Ends in a Brutal Crash
What Went Wrong?
It’s simple:
- Too fast into the turn. A loaded truck isn’t a Polo – you can’t just swing it around a corner and expect it to stay put. The higher centre of gravity makes it easy to tip if you don’t respect the weight.
- Container not secured properly. Those twist locks are there for a reason. If they had been locked, the container might have helped keep the trailer stable instead of making things worse.
Bottom line? Take those turns slow, especially when loaded. And before you roll out, make sure that container is locked in. Because once things start tipping, there’s no stopping it.
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