On Tuesday morning, tram operations in the direction from the center of Riga to Imanta were disrupted for about half an hour. The driver of the van did not notice the public transport in time due to the bright sun and, while crossing the tracks, provoked a collision. No one was injured — this is a great relief for the at-fault driver. The insurers will take care of the rest.
In the photograph taken by a witness, a water supply van with a dented front is seen stopped next to a tram and a pole at the intersection of Kleistu Street and Anniņmuiža Boulevard, reports the Degpunktā program (TV3).
When the Degpunktā crew arrived at the scene, the tram had already left, and the vehicle was being moved to the side of the road with the help of a tow truck. A representative of the company was bustling around it, having come to assist the driver.
"The driver approached the intersection and did not ensure the way was clear. As he himself said, the sun blinded him, he pulled out and 'met' the tram — and here is the result: the vehicle is written off," said a colleague of the driver of the van involved in the accident.
Only vehicles were damaged in the accident, and the tram towards Imanta was delayed for about half an hour. To prevent such situations, one must carefully ensure safety.
"I would especially like to remind drivers: when crossing tram tracks, be extremely careful, yield to the tram, and exercise caution, as the tram's braking distance is very long," noted Baiba Bartashevica-Feldmane, a representative of 'Rīgas satiksme'.
And it should be remembered that in almost all cases of collisions with rail transport, the driver of the car will be at fault — unless the tram ran a red light.
