TRUCKS MEET HEAD-ON

Taranaki Daily News, 22 June 1935, Page 6

TRUCKS MEET HEAD-ON

BOTH DRIVERS UNINJURED VEHICLES SEVERELY DAMAGED. MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF YOUTH. CAB ALMOST TOUCHES RADIATOR. With its cab pushed bodily upwards and leaning forward almost to touch the radiator cap over a shattered engine and with the' driver’s seat jammed against the control panel, a two-ton truck towed to New Plymouth from Oakura last night presented a pitiful sight and engendered a feeling of sympathy for the driver. Nevertheless the youth behind the steering wheel when the truck was involved in a head-on collision at Oakura last evening, Ronald Brindley Leonard, Mission Hill, New Plymouth, suffered, no injuries! and climfoed out of the wrecked cab untouched. - • . < The collision occurred at 5.30 .yesterday afternoon at the foot of a dip in the Main South Road a short distance south of the Oakura Hotel, the truck, driven by Mr. Leonard, a mechanic in the employ of C. Swanson, New Plymouth, being on its' way to New Plymouth. The other vehicle, a truck of similar weight, was driven by Thomas Raven, a,fanner of Newall Road,' Wares. Neither Mr. Leonard, nor Mr. Raven was hurt, but the engines .of both trucks were smashed, ' The“ vehicles met almost head-on and, although,the pace of neither, was great, the front bumpers were sheered off, the front springs were twisted sideways and the engine blocks were partly telescoped. None Of the front wheels was punctured. Mr. Raven’s lorry appeared almost untouched at first glance, but th® front axle was bent and the engine was pushed back against the gear box. The truck driven by Mr. Leonard suffered more extensively and his- escape was marvellous. The front of the cab almost touched the radiator cap and the seat, steering wheel -nd front panel were telescoped and thrust upwa/ds. Mr. Leonard, however, managed in some manner to avoid being crushed and after the collision crawled down on the left-hand side from the wrecked cab.