Driving law changes needed to avoid 'catastrophic consequences' on roads and motorways
WATCH: National Highways' safety campaign on HGV safety
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'This was an extremely dangerous incident that could so easily have resulted in a tragedy'
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A Member of Parliament is calling for urgent changes to a major traffic route to ensure road safety is protected following numerous near-misses.
Harriet Cross MP has written to Transport Scotland to install signage on an A90 underpass in Aberdeenshire after local residents and drivers complained about the quality of road signs.
It comes after a lorry narrowly avoided a collision when it drove the wrong way in a terrifying scene for cars in oncoming traffic.
The Conservative MP for Gordon and Buchan warned the near-miss could have led to facilities on the B9000 slip road at the Newburgh turn-off.
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The terrifying footage of the lorry driving the wrong way was published on Facebook
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She warned that if it wasn't for the "quick actions" of an oncoming car braking suddenly, a serious accident would have taken place and potentially led to injuries or even fatalities.
A video of the incident shows the HGV travelling up the slip road at speed before turning across the painted chevrons on the road.
Ms Cross has called on road bosses to establish an urgent review of the layout of the road, in addition to improving signage to prevent these issues from happening.
The MP suggested that "no entry" signs could be installed, as well as new road markings outlining the correct direction of travel for motorists.
Harriet Wilson MP has called for new signs to be installed to improve road safety
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Ms Cross, who became an MP in 2024, said: "This was an extremely dangerous incident that could so easily have resulted in a tragedy.
"Fortunately, the oncoming car saw the lorry coming and stopped early enough to avoid a head-on collision.
"But to make matters worse, it appears the lorry then drove down the wrong way of the dual carriageway, which only increased the danger to those on the road at the time. It only takes one incident like this to have catastrophic consequences."
She described the layout and current signage as "clearly insufficient" in helping to prevent dangerous accidents from taking place, especially for those who may be unfamiliar with the area.
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Many social media commenters also highlighted how the video, which was originally posted to Facebook, shows the lorry continuing to drive on the wrong side of the road as it moves past the car, with some calling for the driver to have their licence stripped.
This comes as a new survey found that more than half of truck drivers admit that they are responsible for accidents which lead to vehicles striking bridges.
Research from SNAP suggested that drivers should know the height of their vehicles and take responsibility if they are involved in an accident.
In 2023/2024, there were more than 1,500 incidents involving vehicles striking bridges across the UK, costing approximately £23million in repairs.
The lorry appeared to continue driving in the wrong direction after it passed the car
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Matthew Bellamy, managing director at SNAP, said: "Driver error plays a huge part in the amount of bridge strikes occurring, a view echoed by our audience.
"However, it's also important to address additional factors, such as inaccurate signage, delivery pressures, and infrastructure changes."
He praised the Government's £1billion investment package to future-proof UK roads, bridges and tunnels, but called for enhanced driver training.
Mr Bellamy said: "At SNAP, we remain committed to raising awareness of these issues and are in full support of any measures to enhance safety across the industry."