Speed doesn't always kill - find out what else to look out for
Too fast driving remains the main cause of fatal accidents in Poland. But in the tragic event, the reconstruction of which we present, she is not to blame.
It was a cool rainy day - November 12, 2009. A 12-year-old pastor from one of the parishes in Opoczno was driving a Volkswagen Polo along national road 66 towards Radom. An Iveco truck was driving in the direction of Piotrków Trybunalski and was towing a construction vehicle, a so-called drilling rig. The car was driven by a 42-year-old resident of Vloshchov. The tragedy occurred at the turn of the road in front of the bridge in Wieniaw, Przysucha district.
The drilling rig broke away from the truck pulling it, turned into the oncoming lane and crashed into the cars driven by Polo's father. The parish priest from Opoczno died on the spot. His death shocked the local community and sparked an avalanche of questions "how did this happen?"
accident is a mystery
Both drivers were sober and their cars were in good condition. The collision occurred in a populated area, in a place where it is difficult to develop high speed.
Volkswagen was a few years old. Its technical condition before the accident was assessed as good. The priest who led them was driving correctly, in his own lane, without exceeding the speed limit. The Iveco driver behaved similarly. However, there was a head-on collision.
The drilling rig is a large construction equipment with its own chassis. It can be pulled by a truck, but only with a rigid tow. This is how the drilling rig was connected to Iveco. The experts focused their attention on the element that was initially believed to be the culprit of the accident. They examined in great detail the attachment of the car to the truck towing it. This is precisely what failed, leading to a tragedy for which the Iveco driver could be sued. Finally, the court will decide whether it was the fault or negligence of the driver. The trial hasn't started yet. Iveco drivers can be imprisoned for between 6 months and 8 years for fatal crashes.
Tow truck is safer
A rigid towing cable is a metal beam that connects two vehicles. Only in this way can heavy equipment be towed. The connections are protected, but they can be damaged or worn out. After all, when towing, especially when braking and accelerating, great forces act on the mounts. That is why the driver has to regularly check their condition - even several times during a long trip.
A safer solution would be to transport this type of large, heavy machines with chassis on special trailers equipped with safety devices that immobilize the transported load.
Passenger car drivers should also be careful when overtaking or overtaking a truck towing a trailer or other vehicle. It is worth remembering that such a kit has limited maneuverability, and its weight lengthens the braking distance and makes it turn smoothly. If we notice something disturbing, we will try to signal the problem to the driver of such a set. Perhaps our behavior will avoid tragedy.
Jerzy Stobecki
photo: police archive
