Truck carnage time for cool heads

There is no need for tighter
legislation to hold truck
owners accountable for
accidents as it already exists
although it is often not
implemented, says Gavin
Kelly, spokesman for the
Road Freight Association.
Politicians and the public
have been up in arms
following the horrific accident
in Pinetown earlier this
month in which 23 people
died when a truck ploughed
through an intersection
colliding with at least four
minibus taxis.
As the driver of this vehicle
faces 23 counts of murder
and one of culpable homicide,
politicians have called for
more accountability for the
owners of trucking companies
while the public want to see
trucks banned off certain
roads.
“What needs to happen
in this situation is for the
accident investigation to
ascertain what went wrong
and not to apportion blame."
Kelly said the current
accusations and sweeping
statements being made about
overloaded trucks and poor
service maintenance were
based on emotion and not
fact.
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