Malelane – A dramatic truck crash was captured on dashcam late Sunday night on the N4 near the Malelane turn-off, leaving one driver injured and one truck overturned.
The incident occurred at around 23:09, according to the timestamp on the dashcam footage from a Heymans Kole truck involved in the accident. In the video, the Heymans Kole truck is seen cruising steadily at 54km/h in its lane when another side tipper truck suddenly appears from the right.
The side tipper, using a filter lane meant for joining traffic in the opposite direction, shoots across at speed and slams into the trailer of the Heymans Kole unit. It narrowly misses the horse, but the impact on the trailer is enough to flip the Heymans Kole truck onto its side. The collision was so severe that the cab of the side tipper truck detached from its chassis, landing a few metres away from the crash site.
It’s unclear what caused the driver of the side tipper to lose control, but initial observations suggest a serious misjudgement while entering the N4. The Heymans Kole driver appeared to be fully in control and obeying the speed limit, making the crash even more unfortunate.
The crashing driver sustained injuries and was treated on scene before being transported to hospital. The extent of their injuries is not yet known. The Heymans Kole driver was not injured.
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This crash is yet another reminder of how dangerous truck driving can be. Even when one driver does everything right, a single mistake from another road user can flip your day — and your rig — upside down in seconds.
We wish the trucker a speedy recovery. Stay sharp out there, brothers.
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