The accident near the Mukusalas roundabout in Riga once again highlighted how dangerous driving near trucks can be. According to preliminary data, the collision occurred during a lane change when the passenger car ended up in an area poorly visible to the truck driver.
The traffic accident occurred near the Mukusalas roundabout. As a result of the collision, the truck sustained damage to its front, while the Volvo car had its rear side panel crumpled.
The truck driver, Valery, told the Degpunktā program (TV3) that he began to change lanes to the left before the accident.
"There was a car turning left, and I started to change lanes. I needed to be in the left lane," he said.
According to the driver, during the maneuver, there was a Volvo car nearby that presumably ended up in the so-called blind spot — an area not visible through the truck's mirrors.
After the collision, the participants in the incident called the police. The question of who is responsible for the accident will be resolved after the materials are processed and assessed by the insurance companies.
Valery himself noted that the accident did not lead to serious consequences, and after the incident was documented, he expected to continue working.
"I am 73 years old, and I have a lot of driving experience. I have already completed one trip, and two more are left," the driver said.
An ambulance crew also arrived at the scene, but no medical assistance was needed.
Such accidents regularly remind us of one of the main features of driving near trucks. Due to the size of the cab and trailer, the driver may not always see vehicles that are closely positioned beside or in front of the truck.
That is why specialists recommend not to linger next to heavy trucks during their lane changes, and truck drivers should carefully monitor the road situation before starting a maneuver.
Fortunately, in this case, the collision did not result in any injuries, but similar situations can have much more serious consequences.
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