Truck driver dies in horror crash

The mangled wreckage of a gravel truck after a traffic accident at Redbank yesterday that killed the 61-year-old driver.

Claudia Baxter

A TRUCK driver working on the Ipswich Motorway upgrades was killed in a horrific accident at Redbank yesterday.

The 61-year-old man was driving a gravel truck east over the rail overpass on Brisbane Terrace, about 9.40am, when he veered on to the wrong side of the road, slamming into another gravel truck heading in the opposite direction.

The deceased man’s truck then clipped a passenger bus – which was also heading in the opposite direction – before mounting the gutter and slamming into a light pole. The driver was flung from his cabin and died at the scene.

Ipswich district duty officer Senior Sergeant Robbie Goodger said police did not know what caused the Brisbane man to miss the left-hand bend just after the railway crossing.

“Speed was not considered as a contributing factor in this accident,” Senior Sergeant Goodger said.

“At this point in time we have no idea of why he failed to take that left-hand bend.”

Snr Sgt Goodger said the bus driver was forced to swerve onto the incorrect side of the road to avoid a serious impact with the truck, possibly saving his two passengers from injury.

Although visibly shaken, the driver of the other gravel truck did not suffer physical injuries.

Bystanders, including workmen from the nearby motorway upgrade site and a group of people preparing for a Remembrance Day ceremony at the Redbank war memorial looked on in disbelief as police began their investigations.

Witness Hai Van Vu said he was jolted by a loud bang as he helped set up for Remembrance Day.

“I turned around and saw the truck coming down the hill after it hit the other truck,” he said.

“I saw a man on the footpath – he wasn’t moving.”

Police closed the area to traffic from the time of the accident until last night.

The forensic crash unit is investigating.