Crashes put focus on truckies

Northland police are working with the Northland Freight Group to raise the standard of truck driving.

This week, a logging truck tipped and lost its load on Otaika Valley Road, the third time this has happened this year.

Northland road policing manager Inspector Murray Hodson said Otaika Valley Rd was a known issue for police and the Northland Freight Group.

"The road itself is twisty and windy and difficult to negotiate in any vehicle, let alone a logging truck. We are working with the Northland Freight Group to raise the standard of driving."

He said the message to truck drivers was simple - slow down, and drive to the condition of the roads.

The crash happened about 8.20am, during the school run period.

Joanne King, a teacher aide at Maungatapere School, lives on Tavinor Rd and said her daily journey to and from school was filled with fear. "I arrived at school shaking after seeing that [yesterday's incident].

"It's pure luck that there hasn't been a car under one of those loads," she said.

Constable Robert Dill-Russell who was at the scene of this week's crash, said it appeared the driver had been going too fast.

Daron Turner, the general manager for Smith and Davies NZ, the owner of the truck and trailer unit involved in yesterday's crash, said he was unable to comment on the cause of the crash until a full investigation had been undertaken.

He said there was no mechanical fault that contributed to the crash. The driver of the vehicle was uninjured.