Ermelo – A freak crash involving a runaway trailer and a truck claimed the lives of six cows on Friday on the N17 just after the Ermelo toll gate, leaving the trucker shaken but thankfully unharmed.
According to the truck driver, the crash happened in a flash.
He was travelling towards Johannesburg when the trailer, which had disconnected from a bakkie travelling in the opposite direction, veered into his lane.
“There was just no time to react, hey. One moment I saw the trailer coming, the next thing – bang! I hit it head-on,” the driver told SA Trucker.
The trailer was reportedly carrying six cows when it off-hooked from the bakkie towing it.
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All six animals were killed on impact when the trailer was struck by the truck.
Emergency services were on the scene shortly after, confirming that there were no human injuries.
The bakkie occupants were unharmed, and the trucker also walked away without any physical injuries.
It’s unclear at this stage what caused the trailer to disconnect.
This incident serves as a harsh reminder for all road users – especially those towing trailers – to double-check connections before hitting the road. A small oversight can cause major tragedy.
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