The driver of this truck escaped serious injury after being thrown from the vehicle as it crashed up to 100m down a bank. Photo / George Novak
The driver of this truck escaped serious injury after being thrown from the vehicle as it crashed up to 100m down a bank. Photo / George Novak
A Bay of Plenty driver had an amazing escape after he was thrown from his truck as it plunged 100m down a bank.
The 57-year-old had been driving a Weallens Bay of Plenty fertiliser truck on Pongakawa Bush Rd when it overturned and crashed down the bank about 11am.
The road on the side gave way after rain and the truck just went over.
The driver, who was thrown from the vehicle after about 20m, walked away with only minor injuries but the truck's cab and trailer were flattened.
Weallens general manger Dean Saunders said it was incredible the driver was not seriously injured.
"It's amazing. He's definitely very lucky," Mr Saunders said.
Mr Saunders said a farmer feeding pigs in a paddock at the bottom, near where the truck stopped, heard the crash and called emergency services after seeing the crumpled wreck.
The driver managed to walk back through bush to the road but had lost his wallet, keys and mobile phone in the crash.
Mr Saunders said the accident happened when the driver, who has been driving trucks for about 40 years, came across a truck travelling in the opposite direction.
"Because it's so narrow, the two trucks couldn't fit so they moved to the side.
"The road on the side gave way after rain and the truck just went over.
"We've had quite a few big downpours and the water course of the rain goes right to where the bank gave way.
"It's just one of those things. No trucks hit or anything like that. They were going about 10km/h. It's a country road. No one's at fault."
Mr Saunders said his driver briefly said to him "man, the road gave way and over it went" before he was taken to Tauranga Hospital.
"I spoke to him. He's got a couple of scratches and cuts but he's all right.
"He asked how his truck was, we said "not so good"."
The truck is believed to be a write-off.
The driver was assessed by St John ambulance staff for minor injuries. "Tauranga St John ambulance territory manager Ross Clarke said the driver was "very lucky ... considering the potential of the crash".
