The local authority is urging Island drivers to take extra care around service vehicles following a collision between a car and a stationary bin lorry in Merstone yesterday (Thursday).
As first reported by Island Echo, the incident occurred on a sharp bend on Merstone Lane when a blue BMW 1-series went into the rear of a bin lorry.
Officials say that the vehicle was attempting an overtake.
3 similar incidents involving waste collection vehicles are said to have occurred since November alone.
Natasha Dix, the council’s waste and environment manager, has a hard-hitting message for Island motorists:
“Overtaking a waste truck in the wrong place could cost a life – your own life, the life of a pedestrian, or one of our workers.
“I realise it can be frustrating to wait for the vehicle to move on, but it isn’t worth the risk.
“I am so grateful that nobody was seriously hurt in the incident, but this is the fourth accident like this we have seen since November, where somebody has tried to overtake a bin truck.
Article continues below this advertisement “So if you see one of our vehicles ahead – on either side of the road – please, just slow down, be patient, and take extra care. It could save your life.”
The standard of driving on the island has undoubtedly declined in recent years.
Daily reports of collisions, car somersaults and even deaths are regularly reported on this site.
The withdrawal of the dedicated Roads Policing Unit some years ago has to be a major contributor to this decline.
I realise that they have a job to do and agree that we need to have patience and show consideration but that goes both ways.
Whilst travelling on the bus I’m regularly delayed by rubbish vans completely blocking the road when they could have just pulled a few feet further forward or a little to the left and allowed traffic to pass.
Demanding consideration whilst giving none just increases frustration, and with it, the likelihood that someone will make a poor driving decision.
I agree with what you have said, however, it’s almost impossible to educate most island drivers of the obvious standard of basic road safety….I don’t know why, but perhaps it’s something in the water or the drugs their on..
A great shame that the BMW driver had not previously been advised by a senior council manager on £60k+ per annum that it was unwise to drive into the back of a dustcart. The whole incident could have been avoided.
Something is not being reported right here, so the accident happened near the bend in Merston so why would you attempt to overtake on a blind corner and from the picture they went right into the back of the waste lorry
I saw this, the bin lorry had stopped on the bend, he wasn’t overtaking, he drove into the lorry as probably didn’t see it until too late.