26th March 2023 – (Hong Kong) A dashcam video circulating online shows a driver’s close call with a potentially deadly accident on Sha Tau Kok Road (Lung Yeuk Tau) on 24th MarchAs the driver approaches a traffic light, a truck with construction equipment on its back can be seen parked in the left lane. Suddenly, the air compressor fell off the truck and landed on the road with a loud thud.
Fortunately, there were no cars following the truck at the time, and the driver who captured the incident on his dashcam was able to safely swerve around the equipment. However, the video has gone viral on social media, with many people expressing shock and concern about the potential danger of unsecured cargo on the road.
The incident highlights the importance of properly securing cargo when transporting it on public roads. According to the Transport Department’s Cargo Transport Guidelines issued in 2019, all cargo must be properly tied down using appropriate tools and fasteners. For equipment with wheels or tracks, such as the construction equipment seen in the video, parking brakes must be engaged, and the equipment must be secured using ropes or other methods to prevent it from moving during transport.
This is not the first time that unsecured cargo has caused accidents on Hong Kong’s roads. In January 2020, a woman was injured when a stack of bamboo poles fell off a truck and hit her car. In March of the same year, a similar incident occurred when a truck carrying bamboo scaffolding lost its load on a busy road.
It is important for all drivers and companies involved in the transportation of goods to take the necessary precautions to ensure that their cargo is properly secured. Failure to do so not only poses a danger to other drivers on the road but can also result in fines and legal consequences.