UK & World News
- 9 November 2012, 19:35
M1 Crash: Seven Hurt And Lorry Driver Arrested
A lorry driver has been arrested after a man suffered life-threatening injuries in a seven-vehicle motorway pile-up.
Thames Valley Police say six cars and a lorry were involved in the crash on the northbound carriageway of the M1, close to junction 14 near Milton Keynes, shortly after 8.30am.
A 55-year-old man from Bedfordshire, who was driving a blue Vauxhall Corsa, was airlifted to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge, where he is in a critical condition.
Six women, aged between 35 and 59, suffered minor injuries and were treated at Milton Keynes General Hospital.
The 43-year-old driver of a green Volvo lorry was arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving. He remains in police custody.
The M1 was closed northbound between junctions 13 and 14 for around four hours while accident investigators examined the scene. The road was fully re-opened by 12.45pm.
Witnesses are asked to contact PC Garry Fortnum, of the Milton Keynes Roads Policing Team, on 101.
what do you think?
Jim Ford
It always seems to be lorries involved in major accidents on motorways!
robert
jim ford.you just have to read leslie lees comment to find out why trucks are nearly always involved in m/way accidents.Some motorist just CANNOT wait behind the big smelly thing for a few seconds and if the truck is exiting at the same junction as the idiot who cannot wait it will invariably be at the back of him at the top of the slip road.
Dave Harrison
Robert. I have sympathy with wagon drivers who are cut up by cars who then expect them to stop 40 tons of ready mixed in a few yards. But lets not pretend lorry drivers are paragons of virtue. Many are tailgating bullies who sit 8 foot up in the air and well clear of potential carnage
keith
@ Dave Ever seen a truck driver sat 8 feet in the air get splattered all over a motorway because of Car and van drivers actions? I have, and it ain't nice. Its so easy for people like you too blame slow Norris in his lorry. I agree they do tailgate but that is because they take so long to build up any kind of speed. It only needs a vehicle 3 places up front to slow down then it has a knock on effect with all behind and causes a concertina effect. Try studying them while near or passing them to see my meaning before judging others by your superior standards.
Dave Harrison
Keith. I call it as I see it and I am sick of looking in the mirror and seeing a lorry 2 yards from my rs doing 50 odd mph. I do not profess to have superior standards,they are your words not mine. I do note however that you freely admit lorries tailgate and offer up the excuse that it is to keep up their speed. Tell that to the family you kill be your dangerous driving
Jim Ford
"I agree they do tailgate but that is because they take so long to build up any kind of speed. It only needs a vehicle 3 places up front to slow down then it has a knock on effect with all behind and causes a concertina effect." Ahh, I see - so it's not the lorry driver who was driving too close to the car in front's fault when a crash happens in the above scenario, it's the person in front who braked! Silly me!
leslie lee
i think that there are just too many on this blog who ought to try driving a lorry ... of course they never will but profess to know what where and how such lorries must behave . do they realise that a loaded lorry can take up to a mile to accellerate to 50 mph ........ and then once slowed down to 30 mph take almost as long to get back to that 50 mph ? what cars drivers insist on ignoring is that .. ROADS WERE MADE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF ESSENTIAL GOODS AROUND THE COUNTRY ........ not the ordinary motorist ............. so . think on boys before declaring that you and your motor CAR deserve more consideration on the bloody roads
Jim Ford
"ROADS WERE MADE FOR THE DISTRIBUTION OF ESSENTIAL GOODS AROUND THE COUNTRY ........ not the ordinary motorist" Risible!
Dave Harrison
JIm. It seems Leslie regards other motorists as wagon fodder to be swept aside as he sees fit so long as the momentum of the lorry is maintained. Worrying really.
Dave Harrison
Leslie. I do not advocate more consideration for car drivers but rather insist on equal consideration for all road users which certainly does appear to be your attitude. I am equally scathing about idiot car & van drivers who tailgate me and there are plenty. If I find I am getting close to the vehicle in front I slow up. How about you? Do you cross your fingers, maintain momentum and hope he dosen't brake suddenly? Think of the damage to your lorry as you go over the top of a car full of kids.
keith
Too many people don't realize that lorries carry up to 40 tonnes of freight of all types and idiots in cars rushing everywhere to get to their all important meetings cannot get it into their heads that they travel slowly mainly because of the weight and also because they are restricted to 56 mph and because of said weight of vehicle/trailer/weight combination makes for slow stopping and slower reactions because of the implications of such accidents as reported today but not ALL accidents are lorry drivers fault. The lorry driver will of been arrested for dangerous driving because of the amount of casualties involved and the fact the lorry causes the most damage because of the weight versus stopping factor. I hope all the casualties and the gentleman airlifted off make a full recovery.
keith
I am not blaming car drivers OR the lorry driver as we don't know the full facts and the police will be examining the HGV's tachograph to determine exactly what he was doing. But, car & van drivers drive like maniacs to get past lorries and perhaps sometimes don't realize the carnage they can cause/leave behind, sometimes so unknowingly because they are half asleep of doing their hair etc
Dave Harrison
Keith I agree entirely with your observations about stopping distances and weight etc. So many car drivers seem to think wagons can stop in the same distance as them and it just ain't the case. It worries me even more, that, knowing full well the extra distances needed to stop that lorry drivers continue to tailgate just to keep their speed up.
Paul Guy
There are of course dangerous drivers of ANY vehicle! People need to put things into perspective and realize this! Competent truck drivers have to comply with tougher rules than with a class B Licence to add to the pressure of making deliveries on time! Apart from the minority who shouldn't be on the roads with any vehicle period, I think truckers deserve our respect because without them, the shops and supermarkets wouldn't be open! Remember that if you can't see the wing mirrors of the lorry in front of you, he/she won't be able to see you either, so pull back and plan ahead!
Dave Harrison
Paul. Good points most of which I agree with. I suspect the pressure to make deliveries within a tight timescale leads to much of the tailgating which goes on and it is this issue which needs addressing. Whatever the excuse though it doesn't excuse tailgating which is in effect gambling with the lives of the people in front.
Jim Ford
Part of the problem is that the 3 lanes on most motorways don't leave one for a car to use: The inside lane is used by HGVs tailgating each other at 59 MPH. The middle lane is used by tailgating HGVs overtaking those on the inside lane - at 60MPH. The outside lane is used by white vans doing 90MPH!
Dave Harrison
Jim. Spot on.I was on the M60 on the lancs -Cheshire border last week . It was a 4 lane motorway with an HGV in lane 1, another HGV overtaking it in lane 2, another HGV overtaking them in lane 3 and white van man using lane 4 as a racetrack. All the while the traffic piled up behind this 120 ton roadblock. Madness
leslie lee
1:21pm on 9/11/2012
that j14 has always been a swine ! the problem though with most junctiond that exit or enter large towns /cities is that the volume of traffic defies description at certain times of the working day ............. lets hope the driver is ok.
leslie lee
1:23pm on 9/11/2012
and so many of the accidents are because drivers swerve over from the fast lane as they try to overtake what they imagine to be standing traffic in order to jump the queues
Diane Rogers
2:34pm on 9/11/2012
Hate being on motorways, hope the driver pulls through