Logging truck rolled in Bethlehem

Reports are coming in of a logging truck trailer that has rolled on State Highway 2, in Bethlehem.

A caller to the 0800 SUNLIVE news hotline says the trailer of a logging truck has flipped on the highway between Bethlehem Road and Te Paeroa Rd.

The caller says logs are strewn all over the road, but there appears to be no injuries.

"I'm in the double lanes heading up to Bethlehem from Tauranga city. Traffic has become gridlocked, if possible it's best to just avoid the area altogether."

NZTA are also advising motorists of delays.

"Northbound lanes remain open, while a short detour is in place for all southbound traffic.

"Please allow extra time or consider an alternative route."

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26 comments

Slow down

Posted on 21-12-2017 14:14 | By clingon

High center of gravity, off camber round-about, heavy load: slow down truckies, just like one of you pleaded with motorists to do on social media yesterday...


OMG

Posted on 21-12-2017 14:19 | By overit

Lucky!


Where's AJ?

Posted on 21-12-2017 14:21 | By maildrop

What no emotional plea and video asking truck drivers to slow down? Lucky that boy passed by moments after isn't it AJ? phhtt


No surprises here

Posted on 21-12-2017 14:25 | By stokey

Yet 'another' truck involved in a road event (no such thing as an accident). Thank goodness there are no fatalities this time. A large % of fatalities involve trucks and there is a real need for greater enforcement of this sector. Now wait for the apologists?


Another Rolled Truck

Posted on 21-12-2017 14:50 | By dbs4me2

The occurrence of heavy vehicles being involved in traffic accidents is becoming a more regular event. Is it because of the speed, lack of experience, bad loading or state of the road. Car drivers are often blamed for these type of accidents, but is it always their fault? Perhaps traffic officers should be concentrating on heavy vehicles a bit more.


It had to happen..!

Posted on 21-12-2017 15:00 | By comfortablynumb

Some logging truck drivers (not all) drive like maniacs, speeding, tailgating and cutting people up. Bully boy tactics that are highly dangerous to all road users. Looks like the driver may have clipped the kerb going around the Gull roadabout too fast. Just glad no one was injured and could have been a different story if parents were picking their children up from that Kindy !


Wreckless, careless idiots in trucks

Posted on 21-12-2017 15:45 | By Chris

I observe the idiotic behaviour of truck drivers every day on my commute. What a bunch of cowboys this industry is composed of.


Hahaha

Posted on 21-12-2017 16:52 | By typicalcardrivers

Every comment so far seems to be from typical numb headed car drivers quick to blame truck drivers in heavy vehicles for all accidents on the roads yes in this instance the truckie is obviously at fault you all need to sit down in a class and complete a course in relation to heavy vehicles and understand everything that your thick skulls dont no already and also how the maniacs much like yourselfs cause accidents by trucks been impatient and always having to be in front of the truck achieving nothing of course


truckies

Posted on 21-12-2017 18:14 | By dumbkof2

i see more stupid, idiotic, imbasilic ,got to be in front car drivers on the road everyday than truck drivers.


its lucky nobody died !

Posted on 21-12-2017 18:37 | By ow

logging truck drivers - the picture says it all !


Cowboys

Posted on 21-12-2017 19:56 | By Told you

How do you roll a truck if you are driving correctly unless it is mechanical of course.Too many Trucks involved in mishaps points to the drivers.


take

Posted on 21-12-2017 20:51 | By Capt_Kaveman

a look at time table he was on


Hang on

Posted on 21-12-2017 23:44 | By maccasparks

I'm not a truck driver and I wasn't there so I don't know the true circumstances around what actually happened and I doubt that anyone commenting here was there either so just go easy on the negative until the actual facts are out. The stretch of road between Te Puna and Kati (not suburban Bethlehem ) is always hard work because of the drivers that chose to do 80 km/h in the centre of their lane until they hit the very limited passing lanes when they increase their speed making it harder to pass.(probably totally unaware they do this ) Something to do with increased road width Lots of trucks on road not often their fault but have big consequences when they do get it wrong


Bad drivers everywhere

Posted on 22-12-2017 08:13 | By maildrop

Truck drivers always blame phantom car drivers when they spill their load. Some interesting facts can be viewed below. The key one for me is Figure 5 which clearly shows that truck drivers are at fault in >50% of ALL crashes involving trucks. To be fair they can take cold comfort from the fact that for fatal crashes they are at fault for <50%. However, considering trucks account for about 6% of total kms travelled on NZ roads they are punching way above their weight in all the statistics. I wish it would get through their thick skulls that due to the risk they pose they need to be more careful but I suspect there is an element of wrecklessness because they are so much safer in their cab than other road users.http://www.transport.govt.nz/assets/Uploads/Research/Documents/Trucks-2016.pdf


Bring back the Railroads

Posted on 22-12-2017 08:36 | By The Sage

Get these trucks off the roads and onto rail.


Wrong!

Posted on 22-12-2017 08:41 | By comfortablynumb

As to the comment by @typicalcardrivers assuming we are all car drivers commenting here the fact is I do drive a large heavy vehicle up to 4 times a day on the SH2 between KK and TGA and I observe the 90 kph limit for my type of vehicle. I often get tailgated by impatient large truck and trailer units that pass me on the passing lanes to then go on to tailgate the next vehicle in front or disappear into the distance speeding in excess of 100 kph even in the wet.


Let’s get the facts right

Posted on 22-12-2017 09:02 | By Kenworthlogger

Maildrop is quite right in that >50% of truck accidents are the drivers fault. Most of these accidents are minor fender benders. Id like to clarify Maildrops figure in at fault deaths caused by trucks is only 26%. That means a whopping 74% are caused by car drivers. Its sad that when someone is killed by a truck that is not at fault like the Waikato accident the other day all the car drivers are silent but when a truck driver makes a mistake all the armchair truck experts come alive. Everyday there are multiple car crashes, yes multiple reported on sun live. The crash stats for cars in NZ are way worse than trucks in NZ. Fact.


NZ crash statistisc

Posted on 22-12-2017 09:44 | By Kenworthlogger

In 2016 there were 9682 car crashes that reported in injuries. In the same period there were 680 truck crashes. That is a whopping 9 thousand more car crashes. Stokey has got it around the wrong way... looks like cars are the big problem on our roads. Looks like the cowboys drive cars eh Ow. The stats say it all Chris.


Statistics indeed Ken

Posted on 22-12-2017 13:12 | By maildrop

Using your crash figures, and I will assume they are correct, by my calculations trucks are involved in 6.6% of total crashes resulting in injury. Given trucks account for 6% of total road kms travelled by all vehicles, then we can see that they are crashing with more frequency than cars, per km travelled. Also, trucks have proportionately more "crashes" that result in no injury, for which they are also responsible for >50%. I don't disagree that there are many more terrible and wreckless car drivers, but in the car versus truck driver statistics, it would appear that truck drivers are slightly more inclined to "crash" per km travelled. Given they are driving something that is significantly more deadly I wish they were less reckless. To add to your comment, truck drivers are also responsible for >50% of all minor injury crashes. You are correct re fatality crashes.


Kenworthlogger

Posted on 22-12-2017 18:12 | By TheCameltoeKid

Yep, your on to it as is most truckies! This was simply a case of entering an off-cambre roundabout too fast. It dosen't take much. 10 to 15 k's maximum. I'll say this, Why does NZTA actually build off-cambre roundabouts? They're dangerous! I nearly rolled my B-Train at TePuna. And yes, most of the crashes involving trucks are caused by car drivers. So all you Idiots who criticised us in the comments below, GAGF'D!


Camel toe says it all

Posted on 23-12-2017 11:39 | By maildrop

You typify why NZ has such a terrible record. The roundabout is in a 50 zone, so there isn't much tolerance for approaching it 15 kph too fast, particularly in a 2 trailer logging truck. Spilling them and putting lives in jeopardy is not a simple case as you put it. Your blas attitude is so typical, and I suggest to you that it is not people who criticise wreckless driving that are the idiots, but those who do it and those who pass it off with such ease. I doubt they would if they or their family were victims.


CTK GFY

Posted on 23-12-2017 18:25 | By maildrop

The camber roundabout is a final attempt to get hard of intelligence to slow down as they approach a busy urban area. They use warning signs and speed limits prior to this, which are ignored, but they hope the camber roundabout is at least seen and sparks a reaction from eyes to brain to feet/hands. This assumption would work if some drivers had a fully functioning human central nervous system but for many, like this fella and you, there are missing components, and the system fails, as they trundle over the roundabout with jaw slack. Perhaps NZTA should concentrate on the licencing system and not issue them to morons. Thank you for helping demonstrate the level we are dealing with.


So who pays?

Posted on 24-12-2017 05:56 | By Christine1965

Significant damage to the road. Just wondering if the tax/rate payers pay for this truckies incompetence??


Christine

Posted on 26-12-2017 18:01 | By Kenworthlogger

A couple of gouge marks on the road hardly count as significant damage.. Maildrop while the speed limit at the roundabout is indeed 50 km an hour in a loaded logger you would be doing somewhere between 20 to 40 km around the roundabout so what Cameltoekid is saying is quite true. Unlike a car, with a logging truck every load is different so just because you made it safely last time at the same speed does not mean you will this time.


Ken

Posted on 27-12-2017 12:36 | By maildrop

I think you have nailed it there. I wouldn't go through that roundabout anywhere near 40kph, in a car, never mind a double logging truck. A 50kph zone does not mean there is requirement to try and achieve it. There is no way a "load" should be driven to the point it tips. It is as simple as that. I think you are just demonstrating that truck drivers are pushing the loads to the limit all the time, and the consequences are just casually passed off with excuses.


Normal load

Posted on 10-01-2018 12:42 | By MISS ADVENTURE

The prime factor with a loaded truck in teh center of gravity, the forks on the truck and trailer place teh weight reasonably high and so easy to tip over. Ken you are right.


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