EastLink CCTV: car collides with debris from nearby accident

VIDEO

This video is a reminder of the damage that debris can cause.

EastLink is Melbourne's safest freeway. Please help us keep it that way.

At 7:08am on Monday 1 April, a truck towing a trailer with a small digger jack-knifed after turning from Canterbury Road onto the on-ramp to EastLink southbound.

The digger’s heavy metal bucket rolled down the slope through the landscaping and into the middle of EastLink.

Very unfortunately, just 21 seconds later a car hit the bucket, rolled over and spun in a dramatic way. This was captured by one of our CCTV cameras.

The driver of the car suffered back injuries and was transported to hospital by ambulance. Everyone at EastLink wishes the driver all the very best with their recovery.

EastLink's left lane was closed following the accident.

The car roll over caused a deep gouge in the main carriageway’s road surface. EastLink’s incident response team determined that the gouge would be a safety hazard for motorcyclists and other road users, so as soon as the accident site was cleared, the EastLink team implemented the emergency repair.

The left lane was finally able to be re-opened at 9:50am.

Although this incident is still being investigated and we don't know the detailed circumstances of its cause, the dramatic accident footage does highlight the potential impact that debris can have on freeway traffic.

This is a reminder of some of the key safety messages relating to driving and debris:

• Always secure your load - every item.
• Maintain a safe braking distance from the vehicle in front. Adjust this according to driving conditions.
• Remain alert at all times. The unexpected can happen, and when it does, it happens very fast.
• Don't allow yourself to be distracted.

Now that Help Phones have been removed from EastLink, if you do see a hazard on EastLink you can report it by phoning (03) 9955 1550 - that's the new number shown on the new road signs along EastLink, and it's only for reporting hazards. (Remember, never touch your phone while driving.)

The original accident at the on-ramp involved a truck jack-knifing, and its trailer rolled over:

The trailer was carrying a small digger. The digger's bucket rolled down the bank to the left:

This is the digger's bucket, which rolled down the bank onto EastLink, resulting in the serious car accident: