A truck driver for the G4S firm died while two others were injured in an accident that occurred shortly before 2:00 p.m. Wednesday on the E40 highway in the direction of Brussels to Cork right before the Berloz exit, reported local firefighters. The G4S truck, for an unknown reason, hit a construction vehicle, called a “buffer vehicle," which was parked on the first lane, as part of a road marking project. The truck driver, aged 60, died at the scene of the accident, while his partner age 34 was seriously injured, was rushed to La Citadelle Hospital in Liège. The driver of the buffer vehicle, complaining of various pains, was taken to St. Joseph's Hospital in Liege.
The accident caused major traffic jams and only the third lane was accessible.
The union and the Federation of Transport and Logistics (OPSEC-ITSRE) notes that behind every stationed truck wooden markers should be set on the ground to alert other drivers.
The SECOP-ITSRE also proposes to generalize the use of boom lifts mainly used in Flanders. "This truck allows the driver of a vehicle behind a truck to see above the truck and see whether or not there is a construction site," said Alain Durant, the union president. "Currently, driving at a safety distance of 50 meters from another truck only gives the driver two seconds to see the obstacle and react. This amount of time is too short."
The union has threatened to block the highways if it determines that a construction site is poorly marked.
According to a police source, the highway construction site where the accident took place on Wednesday afternoon would have benefited from the appropriate signals.
(Source: Belga)
