Australian drivers have been told to “always know the height” of their vehicles and to “be cautious when navigating under bridges” after a motorist lost their entire caravan during a shocking crash on Thursday.
NSW Fire and Rescue (FRNSW) urged caravanners and motorhome enthusiasts to remain alert when travelling throughout the remainder of the holiday season, after the costly crash in Picton, in Sydney’s southwest, just before 8am this morning.
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, a FRNSW spokesman confirmed nobody was injured during the horrific accident. But the authority warned the caravan was “completely destroyed” — with pictures revealing the scale of the damage.
Warning after driver loses caravan in horrific Sydney crash
FRNSW Picton’s brigade responded to the accident on Lumsdaine Street, where crews discovered a single vehicle towing a caravan that had crossed the Prince Street bridge and struck the low-clearance beam.
“Firefighters from Station 421 secured the scene by isolating the caravan’s gas supply and clearing debris from the roadway, ensuring safety for all road users,” the authority said in a statement.
“This serves as an important reminder for drivers towing caravans or other large loads [to] always know the height of your vehicle and load [and to be] cautious when navigating under bridges or structures with clearance limits.”
FRNSW urged motorists not to rely “solely on GPS”, as it may not account for your vehicle’s height. “Stay safe and plan your route carefully to avoid accidents like this,” it added.
People responding to a social media post showing the accident were quick to agree with FRNSW’s sentiment, pointing the finger at GPS devices.
“Maps is the problem — it always tells you to go over the bridge. If they’re not local this can happen. Especially in peak time it’s hard to reverse back and turn around,” a person wrote.
“Feel awful for them. Everyone makes mistakes.”
“Expensive mistake. Although [they’re] not the first person to do it and won’t be the last. As long as the occupants weren’t hurt, things can be replaced,” said another.
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