By Olivia Grace Curran | April 9, 2019
A motorist has recorded the terrifying moment a semi-trailer hurtled down a busy freeway with the driver losing control as the truck’s brakes failed.
The footage, obtained exclusively by 9News, shows the B-Double speeding down the South Eastern Freeway at Leawood, Adelaide around 8.30 this morning.
As the driver lost control, he was able to avoid other vehicles on the Freeway and managed to steer the B-Double into a gravel arrester bed to bring it to a halt.
The witness filming the moment can be heard saying: “Get out of the way cars … go up the arrester bed…thank God for that.”
Police say the 26-year-old driver was issued with a fine for failing to use a low gear, as legally required by heavy vehicle drivers as they descend the Freeway towards Adelaide.
The laws, and gravel arrester bed, were put in place after a series of accidents involving brake failures on trucks making the steep descent.
The large truck careered down the freeway for a matter of time before it eventually pulled into a gravel arrest bay to come to a stop.
The freeway is notorious for truck accidents with legislation stating that trucks must be driven in low gear to prevent the risk of an accident.
In August 2014 two innocent motorists were killed and another two injured when an out-of-control tanker careered down the Freeway after its brakes failed.
Only weeks ago, tougher penalties were announced for drivers caught speeding on the dangerous stretch.