A tipper truck incident causes a major disruption on the M5 highway, as details emerge in court.
- On 2 March 2023, a tipper truck collided with an overhead gantry, leading to a prolonged motorway closure.
- CCTV footage revealed the truck was driven with its bed raised, causing the significant collision.
- Driver Anthony Baker admitted to not performing basic checks, which resulted in the collision.
- The court found Baker guilty of dangerous driving, highlighting the potential catastrophic outcomes.
On a tumultuous day on 2 March 2023, the M5 witnessed a major incident involving a tipper truck that collided with an overhead gantry. This collision led to the motorway’s closure for roughly 14 hours due to fears that the gantry might collapse, posing grave danger to motorists. The jury at Bristol Crown Court was presented with damning CCTV and dashcam footage, clearly showing Anthony Baker’s 32-tonne heavy goods vehicle (HGV) travelling with the truck bed imprudently elevated.
Witness accounts were corroborated by Avon and Somerset Police, who received multiple reports from members of the public moments before the truck struck the gantry on the southbound carriageway. The force of the impact was significant enough to detach the truck bed from the rest of the vehicle, dislodging one of the matrix signs onto the motorway below. Although there were no reported injuries, the potential for harm was evident.
During police interviews, the 48-year-old driver, Anthony Baker, confessed that he typically did not check if the lorry bed was lowered post-delivery. In hindsight, he acknowledged this oversight but remained oblivious to any mechanical faults that might have contributed to the vehicle’s state. He also mentioned not receiving any alerts from fellow motorists.
The collision, described by PC Ian Hudson of the roads policing unit as possessing potentially catastrophic consequences, stressed the precariousness of the situation. Had the matrix sign collided with a vehicle at motorway speeds or had the gantry succumbed to the impact, the situation could have been dire. Hudson lamented Baker’s failure to execute a fundamental safety check, which perilously endangered other road users.
Awaiting sentencing on 2 August, Baker’s dangerous driving conviction serves as a stark reminder of the paramount importance of vigilance and responsibility in road safety matters.
This incident underscores the critical need for stringent adherence to safety protocols by all drivers.
