Durban - I don’t blame the men who narrowly escaped death when an out-of-control truck sideswiped their vehicle as it barrelled down Town Hill for their language as they climbed out unscathed.

If you haven’t seen the video of the terrifying events, check out our Facebook page.

The incident serves to highlight, again, the dangers drivers of lesser vehicles face daily at the hands of truckers.

Please Note: Video contains strong language

While it may be true that some truck drivers and transport companies give the rest a bad name, the carnage which results when heavy vehicles are involved in accidents is far too great to ignore.

Anyone remember Fields Hill 2013?

In this week’s incident, it appears the driver did not make the mandatory stop before descending the hill in low gear, and inevitably lost the brakes.

That no lives were lost should be no excuse for not meting out the harshest of punishments.

Coincidentally, I read this week of plans to fine trucks parked on pavements.

This will be especially welcome in south Durban suburbs, where transport companies have been allowed to proliferate and operate unchecked.

But fines for pavement parking could lead to drivers simply parking on the road, causing even more chaos, as they wait their turn to make the almost infinite number of moves required to manoeuvre into their bases.

The fines should be the start of a broader move to get transport companies out of suburbs. They don’t belong there.

The Independent on Saturday

#transport-accident-and-incident

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Editor’s Note: Get trucks out of the suburbs