A truck driver filming a warning about one of Zambia’s most notorious truck routes suddenly found himself recording a serious crash when a heavily loaded truck lost control and slammed into the mountain.
The driver was slowly navigating the notorious Kapiringozi section of the Kafue–Chirundu Road, which cuts through Zambia’s Zambezi Escarpment, when he began filming the dangerous descent.
As he drove, the trucker could be heard describing the route as “the most dangerous pass in Southern Africa”, while carefully making his way down the mountain.
Several trucks can be seen steadily coming down the hill on the opposite side of the road.
Then, without warning, a truck approaching downhill appears to be travelling at considerable speed.
Within seconds, it loses control.
The truck violently crashes into the mountainside, sending a massive cloud of dust across the road and bringing the filming driver’s warning to life in the most dramatic way possible.
The driver immediately moves closer to the wreck.
Watch: Truck Loses Brakes, Spirals Down Deadly Kapiringozi Mountain Pass
Through the dust, the badly damaged truck can be seen against the mountain, with its driver climbing out of the wreckage.
Remarkably, the crash was not fatal.
The footage provides a frightening reminder of the risks faced by truck drivers using the Kapiringozi section, particularly on the steep downhill stretches where controlling a heavy vehicle can become critical.
For truckers, a mountain pass is no place for rushing.
Speed, brake management, vehicle condition and concentration can make the difference between safely reaching the bottom and losing control of several tonnes of truck and cargo.
The driver had started filming to warn others about the dangers of the route.
Instead, he captured a terrifying real-life example of exactly what he was warning fellow road users about.
Watch the dramatic footage below:
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