An official from the Royal Police Force of Antigua and Barbuda has clarified details surrounding a recent truck accident, countering social media reports which suggested that the driver was trapped inside the overturned vehicle.
According to Corporal Brendan Sutherland of the Traffic Department, the incident occurred when a truck driver attempted to avoid a collision with another vehicle traveling in the opposite direction.
“The person wasn’t really trapped in the truck,” Sutherland explained. “The truck overturned on its side because trying to prevent a collision with another truck traveling in the opposite direction, the person pulled closer to the left. But because of the terrain, the narrowness of the road, the truck slipped off on the road and the load in itself pulled over the truck and overturned.”
While the driver was not trapped as initially reported, Corporal Sutherland indicated that he did require assistance after the accident. He received attention from Emergency Medical Technicians at the scene, although details about his condition were not disclosed.
“The driver was alone in the truck and he fell from the height of the right-hand side because it was a right-hand drive vehicle,” Sutherland noted. “Because of the impact at the position he was, he couldn’t move at the time. So he just needed the assistance of the EMS and the fire service to remove him from where he was.”
The incident occurred on the road leading to Bendals, an area that has seen similar accidents in the past. Corporal Sutherland expressed concern about the recurring nature of such incidents, particularly involving trucks servicing Antigua Masonry Products.
“We always have reports about that road, specifically with the trucks going to and from Antigua Masonry Products,” he said. “I myself dealt with an accident, similar situation, last year with another truck from Antigua Masonry Products where it was a mixer truck at the time that turned over the same place with the same situation.”
Sutherland emphasized that the narrow road has a speed limit of just 20 miles per hour and is not designed for high speeds.
“We all know we are only 108 square miles and 90 percent of the roads are flat and it is just sad to see that we’re getting so much accidents on flat roads where we just only have to take our time and drive on these roads,” Sutherland stated. “The road is not that smooth or good enough … not even for speeding. So we don’t understand why these truck drivers always tend to drive that recklessly on that road.”
The Traffic Department continues to caution drivers, especially those operating heavy vehicles, about the importance of driving safely on the island’s narrower roads, and hopes that all drivers will take note and adjust themselves accordingly.
“We always give truck drivers caution that when they’re driving certain roads to take the time or drive with more caution or safely when they’re going to their destination. We’re hoping that in the future this can be a lesson for other truck drivers driving in that area. Let them take their time, and drive with more caution on that road to prevent these kinds of incidents in the future,” Sutherland advised.
