Cargo and delivery van mishaps involving bridges and tunnels in Flanders have become an all-too-common occurrence, perplexing even traffic psychologists.
Residents of Gent suburb Spesbroekstraat in Wondelgem have grown so accustomed to the occasional crash that they have even taken it upon themselves to offer advice to stranded drivers.
The primary culprit is a low 2.2-meter-high bridge, a long-standing hazard further exacerbated by nearby roadworks. Local resident Evelien De Burck, speaking on behalf of her neighbours, told De Standard that there should be clearer markings or warning mechanisms to prevent these incidents. The town could install a metal frame indicating clearance or paint the bridge in a highly visible colour like fluorescent yellow.
Similar incidents occur throughout Flanders, affecting cities like Antwerp, Lokeren and Mol. Veurne, for instance, witnessed ten truck collisions with a bridge on Albert I-laan in just five years. These occurrences not only vex residents but also pose challenges for politicians. The Spesbroekstraat bridge recently sparked a heated debate in Ghent City Council, with calls for increased signage to avoid potential disasters.
According to the road code, red and white traffic signs are supposed to indicate bridge height, which is the case in several places in Wondelgem. However, accidents continue to happen. Even in Temse, where metal frames were placed before a bridge entrance during recent work on the Scheldebrug bridge, they were frequently knocked down by drivers.
Government intervention or personal responsibility?
The call for more government intervention, particularly in terms of protecting careless drivers, has sparked controversy. Some argue that individuals should be responsible for reading and adhering to traffic signs, rather than relying on excessive government measures. Ghent's Mobility Alderman, Filip Watteeuw, shared this sentiment in an interview with De Standard, emphasizing that people continue driving into bridges despite warnings.
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Dutch traffic psychologist Gerard Tertoolen finds this behaviour perplexing, comparing "tunnel ramblers" to drivers who navigate narrow streets or ignore new traffic plans. He told De Standard that he attributes this recklessness to a mix of stubbornness and inattentiveness, with drivers often underestimating hazards and becoming distracted by phones and other diversions.
Tertoolen contends that inundating roads with more signs and signals is not the solution. Instead, he proposes billing all collision-related costs to the driver who ignores warnings. Holding individuals accountable for their actions, he argues, is the most effective way to deter reckless behaviour on the road.
